By Roland Ike, Abakaliki
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a debilitating harmful practice. It is a cankerworm that has lots of negative consequences on the health and social well-being of girls and women.
Cutting a woman’s genitals for whatever reason is a dehumanising act that should be condemned in its entirety. Awareness creation on the need to stop this practice which
violates the fundamental rights and dignity of girls and women, is a task before relevant stakeholders in the society.
Advocacy and collective commitment is key in realising this goal. Women should have the right to health, wellbeing and bodily integrity. FGM in its postulation, creates gender inequality and sustains a cycle of discrimination and violence against women.
The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) realising that FGM inflicts both immediate and long-term physical and psychological harm on girls and women, has stepped up its advocacy.
UNICEF in its advocacy to stop the malaise, propagates messages which dispel myths and misconceptions that pepertuate the practice.
Also, support is extended to survivors and measures evolved to integrate them back into the society. Encouragement is also given to girls and women faced with threat of genital cutting.
Ebonyi is one of the states of the country with high prevalence of the practice. Gladly, successive administrations realised the need to eradicate the trend. The governments in collaboration with UNICEF, partner agencies and other stakeholders, have stepped up efforts to foster awareness at the grassroots where the act is prevalent. Local Government Areas (LGA) of prevalence have been identified. Onicha LGA in the southern senatorial district is one of such.
The good news from the Council is that the scourge is almost at the point of zero eradication. Successes have evidently been recorded. In commemorating the 2024 World FGM Day with the theme, ‘Her Voice, Her Future’, this Correspondent visited Onicha LGA, to discover the tonic for this cheering news.
From interactions with relevant stakeholders in the fight against FGM, it was discovered that traditional rulers hold the ace. As custodians of the culture, the people seek, hear and carry out their instructions. In Onicha LGA, they have equitably led the fight….
His Royal Highness Josephat Ikegwu, the Traditional Ruler of Isinkwo autonomous community in Onicha LGA says the traditional rulers strongly condemn FGM. Ikegwu who is the Chairman of the Onicha Traditional Rulers Council, said their advocacy to eradicate the scourge comes through meetings and massive enlightenment of the people.
“We directed that messages be spread across the domains that FGM should be stopped in its entirety. Any defaulter to this directive will pay a fine of N200,000. Such person also faces a 5-year jail term as stipulated in the Violence Against Persons (VAP) Law of 2015.
“We took the advocacy to traditional birth attendants in the council and they agreed to stop such acts. We promised to engage them at the various health centres in the council and ensure they receive stipends to make ends meet.
“The traditional rulers further set up a committee to monitor compliance to this directive in the various villages. The committee consists of 10 persons–women from each village who monitor from house to house, whether a child is born and if FGM is being carried out.”
He noted that extensive advocacy was carried out during the 2023 Women August meeting and adequate collaboration is gotten in this fight from the women wings of the town unions.
“I thank UNICEF for its great strides in the fight against FGM and other partners which have contributed to this fight.”
Mrs Stella Nwagu is the Special Assistant (SA) to the State Governor on Adult Education. An indigene of the area, she said that the Wife of the Governor, Mrs Mary-Maudline Nwifuru had intensified efforts to sustain the fight against FGM in the state. Nwagu said Mrs Nwifuru’s policies and programmes on all forms of violence against women of which FGM is inclusive, had been stepped to the grassroots and Onicha LGA has keyed-in adequately.
“The governor’s wife has supported Chairpersons of various LGAs to sustain the fight against FGM. The Onicha LGA chairman and his wife have mobilised personnel and resources to ensure the eradication of the scourge in the area.
“Stern warning has been issued to all those indulging or contemplating to indulge in the act. We have implemented strong monitoring modalities which is the reason why such act is no longer heard in the council.
“We have whistle-blowers who report such incidences to the task force set up for such purpose, traditional rulers among others. The traditional rulers have been key to our successes as their fatherly and supervisory roles have been of immense help.”
She advised mothers still engaging in the act to desist because the era of harmful practices against women was long gone. Such acts according to her, have severe effects on their daughters.
“We encourage girls being confronted with the act to speak out and report to their traditional rulers, council chairman, development center coordinators, councillors, top government officials among others for appropriate actions to be taken.
“We also wish to commend the efforts of UNICEF and other stakeholders for their efforts in achieving these resounding successes.”
Mrs Winifred Igwe, a Housewife and Mother of three said that many women are already taking personal decisions not to engage in FGM. She said she has a friend whose daughter had child delivery challenges and the cause was traced to complications from FGM.
“This development taught women in the neighborhood a lot of lessons. We all saw the agony that innocent girl went through and none of us would want our daughters to pass through such.
“We have also realised that the reason of preventing promiscuity usually given for engaging in FGM is not cogent at all because any girl who wishes to be promiscuous can still do so whether circumsised or not.
“It is then a call to parents especially mothers to train their children adequately to be useful to themselves, their families and the society.”
