Two communities within Ado-Ekiti,the Ekiti State capital have joined the campaign to end the outlawed cultural practice, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
Some members of the communities who participated in the Intergenerational dialogue organized by the United Nations Population Fund(UNFPA) supported a non Governmental organisation the New Generation, Girls and Women Initiative (NIGAWD) in the advocacy.
The programme which had 40 participants ,was held in furtherance to the proposed declaration of FGM abandonment in November 2023.
In her remarks the Director, Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Mrs Akinleye Olukemi said FGM is one of the gender based violence the world is confronted with .
According to her FGM has no health benefit. She used the occasion to initimate the participants that the harmful cultural practice had been outlawed in Ekiti ,stressing that whoever indulges in the act shall be prosecuted.
Urging the participants to make the campaign a topical issue of discuss in the community inorder to put an end to it .
In her presentation on the harmful effects of FGM and FGM must be abandoned the representive of the Ministry of Health, Amodu Dupe explained that survivors usually go through a number of pains which can be physical or ,emotional.
She highlighted other consequences to include stillbirth, severe bleeding, shock, fever and septicemia, urinary tract infection, maternal death, pelvic infections, infertility, difficulties in menstruation among others.
According to her, the practice often caused some complications on survivors during child birth while others may face permanent deformation .