Obaseki seeks intercontinental action to eliminate Female Genital Mutilation

The Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has called for intercontinental partnership to eliminate female genital mutilation where it is still practiced.

Obaseki made the call in Benin City on the occasion of the commemoration of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation marked on February 6, each year.

According to him, “the campaign to eliminate the age-old practice should be revitalised with inputs from the traditional and religious institutions, women groups, alternative medicine practitioners, members of the political class, the organised private sector and civil society organisations.”

The governor advised that the reinvigoration of the campaign to end Female Genital Mutilation should leverage on the power of education and the reach of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in changing mindsets, beliefs and convictions.

The United Nations explains that Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises “all procedures that involve altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons and is recognised internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women.”

The global body further said that FGM “reflects deep-rooted inequality between the sexes, and constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against women and girls. The practice also violates their rights to health, security and physical integrity, their right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and their right to life when the procedure results in death.”

Obaseki said it was time to end the pains, agonies and the needless deaths that arise from female genital mutilation where the practice is still rife.

He tasked the media to put the subject matter on the front burner, as “it is a matter of human right.”

“We are hit with front page stories on politics and the economy daily. Female Genital Mutilation deserves similar regular press coverage, to sensitise people about the health risks associated with the practice and emphasise the fact that it is an act of violence against the girl child and women in general,” Obaseki added.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), jointly with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), leads the largest global programme to accelerate the abandonment of FGM. The programme currently focuses on 17 African countries and also supports regional and global initiatives.

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