Fighting Female Genital Mutilation on All Fronts
Abimbola Akosile captures the united outraged voices raised against the scourge of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) in Nigeria, at a programme jointly organised by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations International Child
One of the most painful things for a child is the feeling of being denied of one’s rights; the rights to choose what to wear or read; right to choose when to sleep or to play, and even the right to pick what to eat. One of this reporter’s most painful memories involved the various thrashings he suffered for refusing to eat the rear end of a chicken with rice during a weekly Sunday lunch, right after church. The feeling of impotent rage at being cheated of a right to even refuse to eat never goes away easily.
Well, that was all in the past. Now coming to the present, imagine how a female child feels when she is mutilated by ‘all-knowing’ elders, including her very own mother, all in the name of custom or culture or tradition; or worse still in the name of trying to protect that girl-child from future promiscuity.
Such a girl, alongside millions of Nigerian girls who have passed through the same ritual at one time or the other, has been denied the right to her body; the right to her happiness or pleasure, and in extreme cases, the right to life itself when the cutting ends up badly and the child bleeds to death.
Villa Scenario The decor and setting of the programme venue was genteel and reeked of serene but latent power, right inside the banquet hall of the State House, Aso Villa. It was the first time this reporter would be in the hallowed corridors of Nigeria’s power seat and his feeling was one of suppressed excitement. However, the beautiful setting could not hide the sombre mood of the programme topic.
Although a staffer of the UNFPA, Deborah Tabara, had earlier told this reporter that more than 300 attendees were invited to the launch of the UNFPA/UNICEF joint programme on the abandonment of FGM/C in Nigeria, the participants were drawn from various segments of the society.
They ranged from traditional rulers to religious leaders, from government officials to some first ladies of different states, from the UN agencies to other friendly donors, and from the civil society to the media. The topic drew them all and the focus was clear.
United in Outrage The musical interludes, light choice refreshments and comedian’s jokes could not distract the seated guests from the matter at hand, which is the war against female genital mutilation and cutting; and a video of two anti-FGM/C crusaders only served to drive home the point that the issue has assumed serious dimensions, and that all efforts must be made to eliminate FGM/C by 2030.
Among the participants at the programme were the wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo; wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Toyin Saraki; Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Aisha Alhassan; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire; Country Director of UNFPA, Mrs. Ratidzai Ndhlovu; her UNICEF counterpart, Jean Gough; Representative of The Guardian, UK; former Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Mrs. Pauline Tallen; and the wives of the governors of Ebonyi, Anambra, Imo, and Kebbi States.
There were goodwill messages from the personalities present but the poignant words by Mrs. Osinbajo, Ehanire, Saraki, Ndhlovu and Gough brought home the message that female genital mutilation goes beyond female circumcision, and that all efforts must be made to eradicate the evil practice as soon as possible in Nigeria.
Osinbajo who launched the national campaign for the abandonment of FGM/C in Nigeria, said she could still hear the sobbing of the girls in the video clip and added that “the Executive and lawmakers must work together to end the evil practice of female genital mutilation in Nigeria. There is need for coordinated action and sensitisation across the nation with social awareness. We need to make life better for Nigerians, especially women and girls”.
Ehanire, in the keynote address, affirmed that the practice of FGM/C was still widespread in Nigeria, with psycho-social effects. He disclosed that there are some communities where the cutting is even done after death where it has not been done before, and where no mourning is allowed for the mutilated woman. He noted that the Federal Ministry of Health was addressing the issue,
Saraki noted that FGM/C was actually being done on women and girls by women, their mothers and aunties. To her, “these women need to think about what they are doing to the girls, which is an evil act; this has to stop”.
Gough of UNICEF congratulated the federal government on their efforts to tackle the scourge which is harmful and serious health implications in the long-term and short term. According to her, “let us join hands together to ensure that by 2030, not a single girl in Nigeria is subjected to female genital mutilation. But even 2030 may be too late”.
Ndhlovu, in her remarks, disclosed that “UNFPA and UNICEF have worked very hard to make this day a reality. FGM/C is an evil and barbaric act which leads to serious health consequences instead of suppressing promiscuity. An estimated 19.9 million Nigerian women have already undergone female genital mutilation”.
“We call on the federal and state governments, parents and participants to support this programme and champion it at federal and state levels. It is time to say enough is enough. All hands have to be on deck to save the innocent girls”, she added.
FGM in Curriculum The ugly experiences associated with the agelong practices in some states in the country of FGM/C has led to the introduction of the subject as part of the curriculum in the teaching of nurses and doctors by the Nursing Council of Nigerian (NCN) and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
At a recent two-day media dialogue on FGM/C Abandonment in Nigeria organised by the Advocacy Unit, Child Rights Information Bureau (CRIB) of the Federal Ministry of Information, in collaboration with UNICEF, to mark the World Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in Osogbo, Osun state, the National President of Inter-Africa Committee on Harmful/Violence Practices against Women and Children (FGM), Prof. Modupe Onadeko observed that there was no single benefit from female genital mutilation and cutting.
According to her, it has now become a punishable offence for any medical practitioner, be he/she a nurse or doctor to be involved in the practice of female genital mutilation/cutting, hence the Harmful/Violence Practices against Women and Children aspect was introduced into the curriculum of the medical profession.
She said, though the prevalence of cutting is more in the South-west and South-south, some tribes are however practicing the unclassified types including one which is often referred to as medical circumcision.
“It is estimated that between 100 million to 140 million girls and women alive today have experienced FGM. If current trends continue, 15 million additional girls will be subjected to it by 2030. Some communities believe the practice is religiously required. Others believe that FGM will deter pre-marital sex or promiscuity. It’s these entrenched beliefs that the UNFPA and other UN agencies like UNICEF are working to change”, Onadeko added.
According to her, who is also the Community Health Physician and Consultant Reproductive/Family Health University College Hospital, Ibadan, FGM/C affects women and young girls in various ways such as: Infections (genital abscesses), problems having sex (pain), depression and anxiety, painful menstrual periods, urinary problems, Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) or Recto Vaginal Fistula (RVF), Problems in childbirth (need to cut the vagina to allow delivery and the trauma that results, often compounded by re-stitching).
She allayed fears that women who were not circumcised are more prone to promiscuity than the circumcised ones, noting that about 99.9 per cent of commercial sex workers had their genitalia mutilated.
New Disciple After the launch and a sumptuous dinner in a historic dining room, this reporter overheard one of the participants – a chief from the South-west region – admit that he now views FGM/C in a different light, even though he is actively involved in the practice where he comes from. He even pledged to create awareness on the danger and harmful effects of the practice among his contemporaries when he gets back home.
That is a good step in the right direction and has a ripple effect potential. However, every mother, aunty and traditionalists have to buy into the fight against female genital mutilation and cutting in Nigeria, an evil practice that must be stopped. For this fight, 2030 is too far; time for action is now.
“The Executive and lawmakers must work together to end the evil practice of female genital mutilation in Nigeria. There is need for coordinated action and sensitisation across the nation with social awareness. We need to make life better for Nigerians, especially women and girls”