Stakeholders, particularly the media have been charged to challenge and expose harmful myths and traditions that are harmful to health and rights of girl- child .
In her speech at the two – day Media Dialogue holding in Benin City ,the Edo State ; To Support Advocacy To End Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), the Chief of UNICEF Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere, said nearly 20 million women and girls in Nigeria have undergone FGM.
The programme, themed ‘’Accelerating Actions to Eliminate Harmful Practices against Women and Girls”, draws journalists, civil society organisations and other participants from Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, and Edo States, with Oyo State Government being the implementing partner of the project.
She expressed concern that ” despite being outlawed in Nigeria, this harmful practice continues in many communities.
According to her ,” It continues fueled by myths, fueled by traditions, but those myths and those traditions must be recognized as harmful myths and traditions. No culture or custom should ever come at an expense, at the expense of girls’ health, rights or their future.
She therefore urged the media to increase awareness against false legitimacy built around FGM in the society .
“The good news is that change is possible and change is happening. Through collaborations and initiatives like the Movement for Good, which is led by the federal government of Nigeria in collaboration with UNICEF, millions of Nigerian girls have already pledged to protect girls, millions of Nigerian girls, boys, men, women, aunties, uncles have pledged to protect girls from being cut. Communities are speaking out.
“Survivors, very crucially, are leading the way and young people are demanding for a better future. And this is where the media comes in. This is where you have the power to shape narratives, to amplify survivors’ voices and to challenge harmful practices and to inspire families to choose differently for their daughters.
“The stories you tell can spark the change we need collectively. So my call to you today is very simple. Use your reach, use your platforms and your creativity to ensure that every single girl in Nigeria grows up free of female genital mutilation, free of that fear, free of that harmful possibility.
“Together we can build a better future for every single girl in Nigeria, a safer future for every single girl of Nigeria. And every girl needs to be free to thrive, to survive, but also to thrive. I thank you for the collaboration with UNICEF all these years.
The Communication Officer UNICEF Lagos, Blessing Ejiofor said the dialogue was organized to build the capacity and knowledge of journalists and media professionals on the negative impacts of FGM on the girl child and women and how to intensify advocacies against the menace.
According to her, ” the aim of this gathering is to equip you with comprehensive knowledge about FGM’s devastating impact on women and girls’ rights and wellbeing. Secondly, to provide you with the tools and materials needed to amplify advocacy efforts across Southwest Nigeria’s highest prevalence states.”
In his presentation , a Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF Lagos Office, Dennis Onoise, disclosed that Nigeria is the third biggest country in the world that practices Female Genital Mutilation [FGM].
He said, “FGM has no health benefit. It will not stop promiscuity. It would deny a lady the full benefit of her body. It can lead to medical complications. If the cutting is not properly done, it would affect urine, which is dangerous. It is a gender-based violence. Many communities are into it. If we continue to mobilise people, there would be more reduction.”
He, therefore, sought the support of all stakeholders to stop the practice. “We are asking for the total abandonment of this practice,’’ he said.
FGM consultant, Mrs Aderonke Olutayo, stated that by cutting the girl child, “you have rendered the woman powerful and violent. It is a harmful traditional practice.”
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Oyo State, Mr Rotimi Babalola, urged the media to intensify their support in reporting issues aimed at putting an end to the harmful practice.
Babalola said: “Today, it’s about the critical stakeholders here, the media. Because we are the people who set the agenda for society to follow. So we are very critical of this FGM elimination campaign. I will just appeal that we need to put extra effort into this campaign, so that in all the seven states in the UNICEF office, we totally eliminate FGM.”