Female Genital Mutilation and Women’s Right
February 6 of every year has since 2003 been designated by the United Nation as the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Countries across the world have continued to commemorate the day through a range of activities aimed at putting an end to the brutal and gruesome procedure that is considered as a violation of person’s right to health, security and physical integrity as well as the right to be free from torture and the right to life when the procedure results in death.
World Health Organisation (WHO) defined female genital mutilation as all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organ for non-medical reasons. It is a practice whose origin and significance is shrouded in ambiguity and mystification. Its origin is also fraught with controversy, either as an initiation ceremony of young girls into womanhood or to ensure virginity. It is erroneously seen as “calming” of woman’s personality and a form of cultural identity, which is an ethnic initiation into adulthood. This dangerous tradition and women’s right violation has been so widespread that it could not have risen from a single origin.
Though still practiced in more than 28 countries in Africa and a few scattered communities worldwide, the burden of FGM is seen in Nigeria, Egypt, Mali, Eritrea, Sudan, Central African Republic, and Northern part of Ghana where it has been an old traditional and cultural practice of various ethnic groups. FGM is also said to persist amongst immigrant populations living in Western Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand.
Nigeria has the highest absolute number of female genital mutilation worldwide, accounting for about one-quarter of the estimated 115-130 million circumcised women in the world. The Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2013 showed a prevalence of FGM among adult women by geopolitical zone to be highest in the South-West with 56.9 per cent; South-East 40.8 per cent; South-South 34.7 per cent; North-Central 9.6 per cent; North-East 1.3 per cent; and North-West 0.4 per cent. As reported in the NDHS, 45 out of every 100 adult women liv- ing in Lagos State for instance have undergone FGM at one time or another. This is largely due to migration from those states where the prevalence is much higher.
It is ironical that the southern states that have higher literacy levels are also the most involved in this primitive socio-cultural practice. Reasons range from a belief that it reduces sexual desire and promiscuity; promotes chastity and helps young ladies attract husbands early. It is also wrongly ascribed to religious beliefs and traditional norms of female rites of adulthood.
To discerning minds, promiscuity largely stems from orientation and societal values. So, knowledge about the issue could help people make logical decision. As of now, much of the accumulated knowledge about FGM and fistula indicates that FGM and fistula have negative health implications. Medical experts and studies by WHO, UNICEF and other world bodies assert that, unlike male circumcision, FGM has no medical benefits whatsoever.
On the other hand, UN Population Fund affirms that “FGM does irreparable harm. It can result in death through severe bleeding, pain and trauma and overwhelming infections.” WHO adds that it also results in problems with urinating, could cause cysts, infections, infertility and complications in childbirth. “Women with FGM are significantly more likely than those without FGM to have adverse obstetrics outcomes including prolonged or obstructed labour, obstetric fistula, postpartum (after delivery) haemorrhage and extended maternal hospital stay.
For the infants, young girls and women who are subjected to the dehumanising practice, it is routinely traumatic and has been linked to cervical cancer, a major killer of Nigerian women. At the same time, it is more often also undertaken by local birth attendants or untrained “surgeons” using crude and un-sterilised instruments. It is reported that FGM victims go through extremely painful menstrual periods when they reach puberty and painful sex in marriage. Given these facts, FGM constitutes violence against women and it is about time it is stoutly resisted and completely eradicated.
While Nigerian government, in the last decade, has recognised the practice of female genital mutilation as harmful and has embarked on corrective measures aimed at addressing the practice through the formulation of policies/programmes, legislation and behavioural change, the practice is still common.
FGM is contrary to Child Rights Law of 2004, the 1999 constitution and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015. Major challenges have emerged regarding the enforcement of the law, with some claiming that the illegality of the practice has served to push it underground.
Now, where do we go from here? The way forward is usage of communication for development. There is need to resort to and prioritise reverse flow of communication. People should be ready to change their behaviour when they understand the hazards and indignity of harmful practices and when they realise that it is possible to give up harmful practices without giving up meaningful aspects of their culture.
To stem the tide of this evil practice, governments at various level should work with and empower the custodians of the people’s culture and tradition, faith-based organisations, teachers, youth groups, women group and town union executives among other stakeholders. Empowerment in this context is in form of effective communication and sharing of strategies that will allow the social actors and custodians of custom and religion to be in a position to educate their people on the evils of FGM. Perhaps, what the law could not achieve, enlightenment will do.
––Rasak Musbau, Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy