The Federal Government has launched a national policy to protect the health of Female Genital Mutilation(FGM) in Abuja.
The National guidelines on the management of survivors of FGM is aiming to provide up-to-date, evidence-informed recommendations on the management of health complications from FGM.
Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire in his keynote address at the Launch of National Policy of Female Genital Mutilation and National Protocol on the Management of Survivors of Female Genital Mutilation in Nigeria said these guidelines will be useful to Frontline healthcare professionals, healthcare managers, policy-makers and others in charge of planning.
Ehanire further explained that this is a product of combined efforts of a wide range of stakeholder’s led by the Federal Ministry of Health.
“I strongly believe that implementation of this commendable Policy and Protocol will significantly reduce the practice of FGM in Nigeria and also improve the health and dignity of survivors”.
Speaking further, Ehanire noted that Female Genital Mutilation(FGM) is a harmful practice against women and girls and a form of gender-based violence and a human rights violation.
“It is indeed a public health problem and a threat to the health and wellbeing of women, adolescents and girls”.
“Sadly, it is that often undertaken as a traditional rite to supposedly protect chastity by limiting sexual enjoyment to the victims.
“Unfortunately, the practice is proven to have no health benefit for women and girls but several adverse health impacts and complications”.
Ehanire quoted the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey(NDHS) saying that 20% of women aged 15-49 have been ‘circumcised’.
“In Nigeria, the most common type of FGM that is the Type 11, which involves the partial or total removal of the clitoral glans and labia minora with or without the removal of the labia majora was recorded in 41% of women who had Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)”.
“Conversely, it is gratifying to note a progressive decline of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the younger age groups, as a result of increasing level of awareness and enlightenment activities through intensive Social and Behavioural Change Communication ( SBCC) programmes embarked by the Federal Ministry of Health in collaboration with relevant line ministries, particularly the Ministry of Women Affairs and other relevant stakeholders recently; which also includes the growing national and international campaigns against the practice”.
“The messages mainly targets a key segment of the population and influencers namely; parents, families and both religious and traditional leaders on the harmful effects”.
“As we are all aware that Human Right is Women’s Right, I must therefore emphasis that Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a violation of the rights of women, adolescents and girls, which consequently violates their rights to health, security and physical integrity leading to severe psychological and social problems”.
“It is disheartening as we ponder to reflect on the underlying drivers of such horrendous practices prevailing in our society”.
Many reasons have been adduced for the continuous perpetuation of this harmful practice some of which include: reduction of sexual desires in females to curtail promiscuity and promote virginity before marriage; ensuring husband’s sexual pleasure; promoting social integration and initiation of girls into womanhood”.
“The reasons listed above are both unscientific and parochial. The negative consequences of FGM have far-reaching negative effects on the health of women and girls, including their psycho-social being”.
“These includes; severe pain, excessive bleeding, shock, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), painful menstruation, hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, Vesicovaginal Fistulae (VVF), Retro Vaginal Fistulae (RVF), scarring and keloid formation, obstructed labour, sexual dysfunction, as well as psycho-social and emotional problems. In some cases, severe complications could lead to infertility and death”.
“Recognizing the persistence of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) despite concerted efforts to eradicate or abandon the practice in some affected communities, we do acknowledge the million girls and women living with or at risk of suffering the associated negative health consequences”.
“It therefore, became necessary to improve access to quality care for victims as part of our efforts to deliver gender response comprehensive quality health care services to all Nigerians irrespective of circumstances”.
“Thus, we revised the National Policy and Plan of Action for Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation and the developed National Protocol on the Management of Survivors of Female Genital Mutilation”.
“The Revised National Policy and Plan of Action for Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation and the developed National Protocol on the Management of Survivors of FGM is a response to the constitutional protection of human rights of women and girls and its obligations under international law.
“It is interesting to note that, the Government of Nigeria has recognized FGM as discriminatory practice requiring policy intervention since 2002 when the first national policy was developed”.
“Although significant milestones have been recorded since its implementation, including the enactment of the legislation, Nigeria still faces some challenges in the elimination of this practice throughout the country”.
“Hence, it became imperative that the policy be reviewed and developed to fill in the gaps and provide the basis for actions which will further drive the implementation of interventions”.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunimbe Mamora in his opening remarks also said these documents have been designed to address emerging issues and to adopt evidence-based practices which can be implemented at scale to address the sexual and reproductive health challenges of adolescents and women in Nigeria.
“While we are delighted that as a country, we have made some progress over the years in the scale-up of critical interventions that have a significant impact in improving the sexual and reproductive health outcomes of girls and women in Nigeria. However, a lot still needs to be done.
“According to the National Population Commission, Nigeria has a population of approximately 198 million persons (NPopC, 2018) with adolescent’s girls and women contributing a significant amount of this population”.
“Their wealth and wellbeing is therefore important a priority for the government to ensure we have a healthy and productive society”.
“I am pleased to inform you that the Federal Government is committed to providing Comprehensive and Integrated Health services for all Nigerians. Please recall that the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, VAPP,2015 ensured that everyone will get a fairer shot at ‘equitable and inclusive health care and rights in Nigeria”.
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