Women Group Advocates End To Female Genital Mutilation in Osun

By Fisayo Oyeyinka

A Non Governmental Organisation, Action Centre for Women Empowerment has called on Osun State Government to ensure an end to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the state, just as it commended the state government for enacting law prohibiting the practice.

The group made the call during advocacy visit to key policy makers and other stakeholders in the state to advocate for the elimination of FGM and other related issues of violence against women and to advocate for legislative provisions and stern measures to prohibit the practice in the state.

Members of Action Centre for Women Empowerment on advocacy visit to the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Affairs, Abere, Osun on the elimination of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the state.

Osun State House of Assembly, Ministry of Women, Children and Social Affairs and other places were visited by a team of the group led by the Chairman of Action Centre for Women Empowerment, Ms. Ejiro Johnson.

The women group also urged the state government domesticate the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP), 2015.

In a recently released survey report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on Female Genital Mutilation in Nigeria, Osun state recorded highest prevalence of the scourge in Nigeria with over 76.3 per cent.

According to the report, after data collation and analysis, Osun had unprecedented 76.3 per cent prevalence rate, Ekiti was second with 71.2, while Oyo, 69.7; Ebonyi, 55.6; Imo, 48.8; and Lagos, 44.8 respectively.

Welcoming the group, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women, Children and Social Affairs, Pharmacist Mrs Omolara Ajayi, reiterated the commitment of the state government to ending FGM/circumcision in the state.

Ajayi said that the government is working hard to reduce the scourge in the state and expressed her disappointment at the state’s prevalence rate.

Chairman, Osun State House of Assembly Committee on Information and Strategy, Hon Olatunbosun Oyintiloye discussing with members of the Action Centre for Women Empowerment during the visit.

At the State House of Assembly, the advocacy team met the Chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy, Hon. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye who is also a member of the House Committee on Women and Children Affairs.

Oyintiloye who commended the team for the visit, said there was need for massive awareness to be championed by the Ministry for Women, Children and Social Affairs and Ministry for Information and Strategy on Female Genital Mutilation/Circumcision and other violence against women and children in the state.

He further said that the state assembly will continue to enact laws that will protect women, girls and children in the state.

The lawmaker said: “We will work with the executive to ensure that bill prohibiting Female Genital Mutilation/Circumcision is signed into law by the Governor and implemented”.

Various researches have shown that Female Genital Mutilation increases the risk of contracting infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis and some other adverse health consequences such as heavy bleeding, severe pain and complication during child birth which often result in caesarean operation among others.

Other harmful effects of FGM includes; cysts, abscess formation, infertility, pelvic inflammatory diseases, painful menstruation, reproductive and urinary tracts infection, pains during intercourse, bladder stones, failure to heal and excessive growth of scar tissue among others.