Female genital mutilation baseless, harmful to medicine, healthcare ― FG

The Federal Government has said female genital mutilation has no scientific basis and benefits in medicine and healthcare but rather, it is leading with many serious health hazards and complications in which some of them are unfortunately irreversible.

The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire in his Keynote Address at Launch of the Movement for Good to End Female Genital Mutilation tagged “#ACT2ENDFGM” in Abuja, organised by United Nations Children’s Fund(UNICEF), said those consequences are also a variety of social consequences and the theme for this year is meeting here is accelerating investment to end female genital mutilation invest and don’t rest.

Ehanire said this project targets over 8 million of men or women, grandparents, traditional political, community and religious leaders as the launch of the Movement For Good To End FGM is expected to galvanize action towards ending Female Genital Mutilation in Nigeria before 2030.

“We do not leave out health workers, state functionaries especially in five states of a Bauchi, Imo, Osun, Ekiti and Oyo for the movement for good to end FGM in Nigeria as it a calls upon us and stakeholders to step up investments to end this practice in Nigeria. We stop or rest at nothing in investment which allow this practice to continue unabated.

“It is therefore our moral duty to increase material and financial support to eliminate this harmful practice of female genital mutilation includes procedures that attempt to remove external female genitalia supposedly as a cultural practice or for cultural therapeutic reasons”.

The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Paullen Tallen, also said Female Genital Mutilation is evil and must be stopped as she said that following the reassurances and commitment of traditional rulers, it is possible to end FGM in Nigeria.

“There is no way that Female Genital Mutilation can ever be properly done. It is condemnable. It is a crime against humanity and I pray that all of gathered here should leave this hall as ambassadors towards zero tolerance of FGM”

“FGM is a traditional practice inflicted on girls and women worldwide and it is widely recognised as a violation of human rights, which is deeply rooted in cultural belief and perceptions over decades and generations”.

“The procedure involves the total removal of the partial or total external female genital causing injuries to the female genital organ. In places where it is practiced, it is seen as a right of passage of the girl child to womanhood. And this is encouraged by family members in the fear and belief of social societal sanctions”

”Statistics has shown that Nigeria has the highest number of cases of FGN in the world accounting for about one hundred and fifteen million out of one hundred and thirty million circumcised women worldwide. That south south zone with 77% amongst adult women has the highest prevalence practice in Nigeria. This is followed by the south east zone with 68% and the south west zone with 65%. The northern part of Nigeria also is not totally free this practice but is very very limited”

“Eliminating FGM was crucial to realising many of the SDGs therefore, theres called for intensified advocacy to all the nooks and crannies of Nigeria. The present administration, knowing the dangers associated with FGM to women and girls is committed to ending it”.

Similarly, the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Emmanuelle Blatmann, also said that at least 200 women worldwide have undergone genital mutilation and more might be affected in the coming years.

Blatmann further said that FGN contravenes the rights of women and to promote the elimination of this scourge, coordinated and systematic efforts involving everyone are needed as he noted that France has made the fight against FGN a priority of it’s feminist Diplomacy.

Nonetheless, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard said that FGM harms women and girls across the continent and the US is working with its partners around the world to eliminate all forms of gender based violence including FGM and US has been steadfast in its partnership with Nigeria.

The UN Coordinator to Nigeria, Mathias Schmaltz, said that all hands must be on deck to end FGM in Nigeria as he disclosed that UN agencies charged with responsibility of providing care and support to children will continue to advocate for end to FGM.

The First Counselor Deputy Head of Delegation of the European Union delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Alex Gomez, said that women forms more that have of the world’s population and FGM is a painful and shameful subject.