Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has called for zero tolerance and decisive action by stakeholders to reduce the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) across the country, saying such violation of the girl child’s rights exposes her to health challenges.
The governor made the call, yesterday, in commemoration of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, marked every February 6, by the United Nations and its sister organs.
He noted that girls who undergo female genital mutilation are exposed to health challenges, such as severe pain, shock, excessive bleeding that may lead to death, infections as well as other complications in adult life that might affect sexual and reproductive health.
He discouraged the practice, urging communities who still subject girls to such practice to desist from it as they risk maiming the girls or subjecting them to psychological stress later in life.
He said: “As the world marks the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, I join in condemning this practice because of its inherent violation of the rights of the girl child. The practice exposes girls to difficulties, either right after the practice or later in life when they may have complications with their sexual and reproductive health.”
He noted that the Edo State government kicks against the practice and urged relevant stakeholders to take decisive action to stamp it out from society.