...Stakeholders intensify campaign against practice
Nigeria has been ranked third globally, after Egypt and Ethiopia, among countries where female genital mutilation (FGM) is still widely practised. Statistics also indicate that Ekiti and Osun states record some of the highest prevalence rates of the harmful practice in the South-West region of the country.
According to stakeholders, previous statistics showed that Osun, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Imo and Oyo states recorded female genital mutilation prevalence rates of 77 per cent, 74 per cent, 72 per cent, 68 per cent and 66 per cent respectively. However, recent data indicate that Ekiti and Osun states now rank first and second respectively among states with the highest prevalence of the practice.
The disclosure was made during a three-day capacity-building workshop organised in Ibadan by the Value Female Network (VFN) in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UNICEF as part of ongoing efforts to eliminate FGM.
Resource persons at the workshop highlighted the devastating consequences of the practice, noting that many girls who undergo FGM suffer lifelong physical, emotional and psychological complications that often persist into adulthood.
The training brought together representatives of coalition networks, civil society organisations, community leaders, educators, gender advocates and other stakeholders committed to ending harmful traditional practices.
Speaking during the programme, the Executive Director of VFN, Dr. Costly Aderibigbe-Saba, urged participants to cascade the knowledge gained to members of their respective organisations, religious institutions and communities to ensure wider dissemination of anti-FGM messages.
Declaring the workshop closed, VFN’s Senior Head of Programmes, Dr. Samuel Abimbade, said the intervention was designed to strengthen coalition networks whose influence cuts across communities and diverse beneficiary groups.
According to him, participants received training on Comprehensive Life Skills Education, globally recognised as Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), covering ten key modules aimed at equipping stakeholders with the knowledge and skills needed for effective advocacy.
Abimbade explained that the campaign would extend beyond the workshop through targeted engagements with parents, teachers, in-school and out-of-school girls, as well as educators in both formal and non-formal learning settings.
He emphasised that the various forms of FGM-including clitoridectomy, excision and infibulation-have no known health benefits and constitute violations of fundamental human rights.
He therefore called for the total eradication of the practice and urged all stakeholders to intensify efforts to discourage and prevent it.
Abimbade further stressed the importance of collective action, noting that harmful traditional practices cannot be eliminated through isolated efforts but require sustained collaboration among government agencies, civil society organisations, traditional institutions and community members.
An Assistant Programmes and Communication Officer, Miss Hassanat Alao, who also served as a resource person, said practical advocacy and communication skills are essential for driving public awareness and promoting behavioural change within communities.
Another facilitator, Barrister Godsgrace Osungboun, who delivered a presentation on mental health and substance abuse, called on governments at all levels to strengthen enforcement of anti-FGM laws while sustaining grassroots sensitisation campaigns. “Government must continue to educate communities and ensure that anyone found violating the law is held accountable. Continuous advocacy remains critical in areas where harmful practices persist,” she said.
Addressing participants virtually, the Gender/FGM Analyst at UNFPA, Mrs. Uzoma Ayodeji, highlighted the physical, emotional and psychological trauma often experienced by survivors of FGM.
She noted that many survivors face long-term health and psychosocial challenges that negatively affect their wellbeing and quality of life.
Ayodeji also reminded participants that FGM remains a criminal offence in Oyo State and warned that perpetrators are liable to prosecution under existing laws. At the end of the programme, participants pledged to intensify awareness campaigns within their coalition networks and communities as part of efforts to accelerate the complete eradication of female genital mutilation.
Participants at the workshop were drawn from various organisations, including the media, the Red Cross, Girls Guide, Girls Brigade, Boys Scout, National Youth Council of Nigeria, Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship, Hope for Tomorrow Youths, Community Cadets and YOWICAN, Ibadan North Branch.
