The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in partnership with National Orientation Agency (NOA) has validated a Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) elimination action plan to be presented to Oyo government, including the local government chairmen, to discourage FGM in the state.
UNICEF’s FGM consultant for Ekiti, Osun and Oyo states, Mrs Aderonke Olutayo, said the plan is to ensure that communities take ownership of the drive to eliminate the practice with the expiration of UNICEF’s phase 3 FGM programme in the state.
According to her, “In the next few months, we feel we need to put a structure on the ground whereby the government, the local government, the community, the households will actually take ownership and also for sustainability to ensure that at least our girls and women are not cut or mutilated. These are things they want to do in the community, that nobody is giving them money to execute.”
Mrs Olutayo stated that in 2013, the prevalence of FGM was highest in 5 states, including Oyo, Osun and Ekiti, but had reduced based on the 2018 sentinel survey.
“For instance, the prevalence of FGM in Oyo, Osun and Ekiti states in 2013 were 66.1 per cent, 77.1 per cent and 72 per cent, respectively. But presently, the 2018 sentinel survey on FGM puts it in these states at 31.1 per cent, 47.9 per cent and 57.9 per cent respectively. There has been a reduction based on the interventions of UNICEF and other partners, but we want to bring it to a zero level.”
In her remarks, NOA’s State Director, Mrs Folake Ayoola, stated that FGM is “an ailment that brings nobody any good, so we want to stop it,” and urged the participants of the training drawn from the 8 LGAS where UNICEF is intervening to continue propagating the “no cutting of females” message.
According to Mrs Ayoola, “up till now in various communities, we still see parents wanting it because the cultural practice must continue. So, we have been sensitising people and asking that they cooperate with us to stop FGM.”
A consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, Professor Dosu Ojendegbe, in his opening remark, declared FGM as an issue that affects all, adding, “if we still have one female circumcised, people will use it justify the wrong they are doing by citing the case.”
Ojendegbe, Director, Centre for Population and Reproductive Health, University of Ibadan, said even one case of FGM is abuse and violation of human rights of the person and as such should not be allowed.
Professor Ojendegbe said there is no need to remove the clitoris and so men should support their wives and daughters not to be circumcised and promote the elimination of FGM starting from the family level.
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