Group trains adolescent girls on use of technology to end FGM in Ekiti

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Action Health Incorporated has trained no fewer than 40 young girls on the use of technological tools to end the menace of female genital mutilation(FGM) in Ekiti state.

The three-day capacity training workshop held in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital, with support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNPFA) for adolescent girls had thirty school girls and ten out of school as participants, where they were exposed to the tools and information needed for the awareness against FGM by experienced resource persons.

The program officer of the group, Fatimah Idris who expressed worry over the level of FGM practice in the state, said the organization was committed to the eradication of the harmful practice against girls and women.

She explained that the training would help equip the participants with needed technological tools such as graphics design and digital marketing to create awareness on all forms of violence against women in their respective schools and communities.

According to her, there is need for young girls to serve as champions and ambassadors for the advocacy against the practice, adding that stakeholders should coalesce efforts in order to end all forms of violence against women in the state, especially genital mutilation.

Idris said, “Basically, what we do is promote the health and well-being of the young people in Nigeria.

“The workshop is a three-day capacity building for 40 adolescent girls, out of which 30 of them are in school and ten of them are out of school. The capacity building is to help and equip them with digital technology skills so that they can use these tools to raise awareness for FGM.

“Skills such as content creation, digital marketing and graphics would be touched at the training. After being equipped with the skills, they would go out there and become FGM champions and raise awareness against FGM in their various schools and communities.

“At the end of the training, the best three students will be awarded with mini laptop computers and others will be given certificates of participation. We have done capacity training in Oyo and Osun states.

“We believe that whatever the young children learn in the training, they will go out there and become advocates against FGM because it is a very harmful practice and a violation of the rights of the girls. The practice has to stop and this is the way of doing it by equipping these young girls to go out and create awareness towards helping us reduce it in the state.”

An official of the state Ministry of Women Affairs, Hellen Akomolafe commended the organization for its commitment to the eradication of the practice in the state, adding that the training would go a long way in helping the fight against FGM in communities.

The Executive Director of the New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative (NIGAWD) Mrs Abimbola Aladejare-Salako exposed the participants to the existing laws against the practice of FGM and other gender-based violence.

Some of the participants, Adekayero Clarion and Fatogun Damilola appreciated the organization for the training and promised to sensitise their colleagues and the society on the dangers of FGM and the need to stop the practice in the state.

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