United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) supported the Ekiti State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in collaboration with The New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative, raised high profile champions for the abandonment of the harmful cultural practice, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) at Oke-Ayedun Town Hall in Ikole Ekiti.
With the theme: Women Community Based Organisations Towards Concensus Building and Collective Effort in FGM Abandonment.
In her opening remarks, Uzoma Ayodeji ,Gender / FGM Analyst from the UNFPA Lagos said the agency is working towards the total abandonment of FGM in Nigeria.
She explained that the programme was designed to sensitize the people of the community and to also chart new ways of collaboration.
The FGM analyst disclosed that the outlawed practise had caused a lot of harm and injuries to the survivors who were lucky to live and tell their stories.
She recalled how practitioners subjected survivors to untold pains, citing the case of a woman who was cut after she had passed away in one of the SouthWest states .
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development who was represented by the Director of Women Affairs, Mrs Adebola Omotayo Olatilu said the Ekiti State government is committed to eradicating FGM. She explained that the practice has no health benefit.
According to her “FGM is one of the tricks designed to subdue women, stressing that the current administration is prepared to remove all barriers and limitations placed on women in the society. FGM is a harmful practice which has no scientific proofs or support from either the Bible or the Quran.”
“We must stop all issues surrounding the limitations of women. As mothers and grand mothers ,we have higher stake in talking to our sisters and encourage them to also talk to their children. FGM is harmful with no benefits. Majority of women who engage in prostitution today were circumcised, so the erroneous impression that those who were not circumcised would be promiscuous is untenable.” Olatilu said .
Participants were taken through the Laws and Policies as well as the various types of FGM and their adverse effect on the female child. The organisers thereafter distributed the FGM data collection and reporting materials.
The high point of the event was the signing of FGM Abandonement Pledge Card by the participants.
Participants at the event includes, members of the National Council for Women Society, Federation of Muslims Women Association of Nigeria(FOMWAN), Women Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN), Market Women Leaders, Women Living with Disabilities, Community Women and Youth Leader, and Traditional Birth Attendants