The United Nations and other international communities have called on all stakeholders to work collaboratively in ending female genital mutilation in Nigeria.
The United Nation’s Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Matthias Schmale gave the charge at the official launch of a Movement for Good to End FGM in Nigeria, on Thursday in Abuja.
He said the move to end the narrative is a whole work of society’s effort, thus appealing for more political will to avert over 4 million risks of survival yearly.
Matthias stresses that it is only through determination by both political and religious leaders that women’s and girls’ rights will not be tempered.
“Medicalization of FGM in Nigeria remains a threat in some states, for example, Ekiti, Osun, Oyo.
Analysis of the data shows an increased level of mutilation through medicalization.
I will like to come back to the point that data shows prevalence among girls up to 40 years old is on the rise, 86 percent of these children were mutilated before the age of 5.”
Meanwhile, France Amb. In Nigeria Emmanuella Biatmann further harps on the need for everyone to become an ambassador of FGM while prioritizing women and girls’ education to end the scourge.
“Indeed to promote the elimination of this scourge, coordinated and systematic effort involving everyone are needed.
Focusing on human rights, gender equality, sex education, and paying particular attention to the needs of women and girls that have been subjected to such practice.
Here in Nigeria, the France embassy is fully committed to supporting institutions aimed to combat this phenomenon, which constitute a serious attack on the integrity, the dignity, the safety, and the fundamental right of girls and women as well as remains an obstacle to achieving equality between women and men.”
Female genital mutilation is a partial or total removal of external female genitalia or other injuries to the female genital organ for non-medical reasons, thereby violating human rights.
However, stressing the need to end it now, especially as the SDG 2030 is a few years away.
