From Fred Ezeh, Abuja

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), traditional and community leaders from five states, Osun, Oyo, Imo, Ekiti and Ebonyi, as well as international organisations and Federal Government agencies have agreed on actions that would herald an end to female genital mutilation (FGM) in Nigeria.

The stakeholders were concerned that the future of womanhood was under threat by the increasing practice of FGM with cultural backing to the action. They have made a commitment to rise in defence of girls and women who are subjected to the inhumane treatment across rural communities in the name of culture and fighting promiscuity.

The stakeholders amplified their voices using the platform provided to launch a movement to end FGM in Nigeria. The initiative is targeted at mobilising five million Nigerians to “Act to End FGM.”

It was also a meeting to raise awareness and consciousness of national and global leaders on the alarming rate and dangers of FGM across the country, with particular interest in the aforementioned states that have the highest number of cases.

Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, in her opening remarks, appreciated the response from various stakeholders, particularly traditional and community leaders, to the cause of ending FGM.

Tallen defined FGM as a traditional practice inflicted on women and girls worldwide, widely recognized as violation of human rights, and deeply rooted in cultural beliefs and perceptions. She explained that the procedure involved partial or total removal of external female genitals, thus causing injury to the reproductive organ, adding that, in places where it is practiced, it is seen as a rite of passage into womanhood.

She said: “Science has proven that the procedure of FGM has no health benefits for women and girls. Rather, it destroys the psyche of the girl child and woman.”

Tallen confirmed that Nigeria had the highest number of FGM cases in the world, accounting for 115 million out of 130 million ‘circumcised’ women worldwide.

She said: “South-South zone has the highest number, with 77 per cent of adult women circumcised. South-East zone has 68 per cent, while the South-West has 65 per cent. However, the North is not totally free but the cases are very limited there.”

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Minister of health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, called for more investment, in line with the theme of the meeting, “Accelerating investment to end FGM,” in order to eliminate FGM practice in Nigeria.

He disclosed that the practice has had devastating effects on women and girls who have passed through the pains of the procedure.

According to him, “it affects the reproductive organs of the women, as well as their sexual life, and considered violation of human rights. Data from 2018 Nigeria Demographics and Health Survey (NDHS) indicates that 20 per cent of Nigerian women between the ages of 15 and 49 have undergone the process, which is also erroneously called ‘circumcision’.

“Regrettably, the majority of them were carried out by traditional practitioners, which predisposes the victim to increased risk to health and life.”

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, who was represented by Senator Betty Apiafi, frowned at statistics that indicated that Nigeria has the highest number of FGM cases in the world.

He challenged all the stakeholders, particularly traditional, religious and community leaders from the five high-prevalence states, to rise to the occasion and champion the cause of eliminating FGM.

UN resident coordinator, Matthias Schmale, said the UN family in Nigeria was ready to support any cause that would help to improve statistics of FGM in Nigeria. He was optimistic that the commitments secured from traditional rulers and leaders from the across the most affected states at the meeting would go a long in changing the narratives as regards FGM in Nigeria. Traditional rulers from Imo, Ekiti, Osun and other states recommitted to the cause of eliminating FGM in their communities for the sake of posterity.

Some of them confirmed that directives have been issued across their states for an immediate stop to the practice of FGM in communities, highlighting the punishments that await defaulters.

They also confirmed that measures have been put in place to ensure that people comply with the directives.