FGM rampant in urban areas, rich households in Nigeria ― NBS, UNICEF findings

A survey carried out by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) with technical support of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has shown that the percentage of women, aged 15 to 49 years, who have undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is about two times higher in urban areas (20percent) than in rural areas (11percent).

Similarly, among young girls, aged zero to 14 years, FGM is three percentage points higher in urban areas than in rural areas.

This is just as the survey shows that FGM increases as the wealth status of households increases with FGM among women in the richest households (19percent) over two times higher than among their counterparts in the poorest households (eight percent).

The findings came to the fore when the 2021 Nigeria Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) and National Immunization Coverage Survey (NICS) was unveiled in Ibadan in the presence of representatives of relevant ministries, department and agencies in Oyo State, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Gavi, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

With flesh removal the commonly practiced type of FGM, the statistics further revealed that while 15 percent of women aged 15-49years have undergone FGM, its prevalence among young girls aged zero to 14 years is eight percent.

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The top three states practicing FGM are of the South-West geopolitical zone with Ekiti (50.4percent) highest followed by Osun (44.7percent) and Oyo (43.2percent).

Presenters at the event held that the targeted year 2030 to end FGM is achievable if states show the needed political will, make available the needed budgetary provision, enforce laws against FGM and have in place an action plan.

Furthermore, the report shows that the under-five mortality rates for children living in rural areas (123 per 1000) is almost double the under-five mortality rates in urban areas (67 per 1000).

The under-five mortality rate in Sokoto, Kebbi, Jigawa and Katsina states is more than four-fold the under-five mortality rate for children living in Abuja, Benue, Kwara and Ebonyi States which have the lowest under-five mortality rate.

Rivers State is highest in neonatal mortality followed by Ogun State, then Ekiti, Jigawa, Edo, Katsina, Delta, Kaduna, Bauchi, Kano and Plateau.

As regards child marriage, the data gathered showed that one in every three women (34percent), between the age of 20 and 49 years, were first married or in union before age 18.

First marriage or union before the age of 18, aged 20-49years, is shown to be highest for those with no education (63percent) and those living in the poorest households (57percent).

Percentage of women, aged 20-49years, in rural areas who were married or in union before the age of 18 (46percent) is more than twice that of women in urban areas (20percent).

Bauchi (75percent), Katsina (73percent) and Jigawa (71percent) have the highest percentage of women, aged 20-49years, who were married or in union before the age of 18 years.

Lagos State (eight percent) has the lowest percentage of women getting married or in union before the age of 18 years.

Bauchi (54.9percent) has the highest percentage of children between the age of five and 17 years engaged in child labour.

Other states ranking higher in child labour is Katsina (50.4percent), Gombe (47percent), Kebbi (46.9percent), Zamfara (44.5percent), Niger (42.9), Jigawa (41percent), Kaduna (40.9percent).

In terms of children aged seven to 14years possessing foundational reading skills, the South-East (52.4percent) is highest followed by the South-West (52.4percent), South-South (36.8percent), North-Central (21.8percent), North-East (11.7percent), North-West (9.5percent).

As regards children having foundation numeracy skills, South-West (51.6percent) is highest, then South-East (49percent), South-South (34.4percent), North-Central (21.9percent), North-East (9.7percent), North-West (9.2percent).

The findings were drawn from a multi-stage, stratified, cluster sampling of a total of 41,532 households between September to December 2021.