Oyo: Organisation enlightens 3000 school girls on FGM

In commemoration of this year’s International Day for Zero tolerance on Female Genital Mutilation that comes up on February 6 annually, a non-governmental organization, Better Society Begins With Me Initiative (BSBM), powered by a serving corps member in Oyo State, Olasunkanmi Oso, has put in place a year-long enlightenment programme that will aid girls in secondary schools across Oyo State to be a voice against female genital mutilation (FGM).

As part of the year-long activity, BSBM recently started another public sensitisation tagged seven days challenge on FGM which culminated in a visit to seven all girls’ school within Ibadan metropolis. The challenge, with the  theme, ‘Female Genital Mutilation: Myth, Pain and the way out,’ was taken to St Anne’s School, People Girls Grammar School, Yejide Grammar School, Queens School, St Theresa’s College, St Claire’s Girls High School and Our Lady of Apostles Grammar School.

Speaking on the motive for the sensitisation, the founder of the initiative, Olasunkanmi Oso, revealed that the organisation took the step in seeing to the actualization of the sustainable development goals targeted at 2030, adding that he saw the move as appropriate, beneficial and timely to educate the female students on the myth behind the barbaric act of female genital mutilation while exposing them to some of the hazards and effects of the act as well as teaching them to be advocates against the act since they fall within the vulnerable groups.

He added that, “over 200 million girls and women have undergone one or other type of female genital mutilation and according to the United Nations, 60 million is at risk of it between now and 2030. So as an organisation, we found it imperative to rise up to the challenge and create a safe space for the girl child in Nigeria.

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“Female genital mutilation is rooted in gender inequalities and power imbalances between men and women and it sustains them by limiting opportunities for girls and women to realising their rights and full potential. Also, it is high time efforts were put in place to achieve the sustainable development goals that call for an end to FGM by 2030 under Goal 5 on Gender Equality which is target 5.3 on eliminating all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation.

“Eliminating female genital mutilation is a critical step towards realising other SDGs, which focus on good health and well-being, safe motherhood, quality education, inclusive societies and economic growth. This is why I am committed to the public sensitisation of young girls on the issue.”

He noted further that though the event was a success, there was the need for more efforts as some challenges witnessed in the course of event should be addressed as a cursor to achieving the set goal come 2030.

According to him, it is disheartening that some teachers as well as some female students were still ignorant of the concept of female genital mutilation and its effect, adding that the discouraging reaction towards men who rise to speak for women and the girl child was alarming.

“The reaction I get from some school heads when they find out I am a male desiring to enlighten girls on female genital mutilation is discouraging. Immediately I tell them the focus for the public sensitisation, some principals and vice principals would go blank because of my gender; it is discouraging and I think it is high time enlightenment be taken to stakeholders in the school system.

“Some showed apathy due to their religious belief and rejected the offer to speak to their students and I found out that issues that border on the body are even avoided because it is seen to be against their religious belief; it is heart rending that in this century the education of girls and information that can empower them is being restricted,” Oso stated.

It was however not all bad  as the organisation got kudos from the principal of Yejide Girls Grammar School, Ibadan, Mrs Ali, who lauded the organisation for the effort in educating girls on female genital mutilation while calling for incorporation of all efforts by stakeholders in seeing that the act is eradicated.