Cameroon vows to intensify fight against female genital mutilation

Cameroon’s Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and the Family on Friday vowed to mount a campaign to end the scourge of female genital mutilation (FGM).

In a statement to mark the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, Marie-Therese Abena Ondoa urged the citizens to make a concerted effort to end the practice, stressing that to eradicate it, it must be addressed through a crusade from the national to the community level.

“The government of the republic sees this (FGM) as an infringement of human rights. The government calls for collective efforts to stop this outdated practice,” Ondoa said.

“The latest studies in the field, I must admit they are quite old, point to a prevalence of 1.4% nationally and 20% in focus areas,” Ondoa added and expressed concerns that security challenges is some parts of the country have probably caused a rise in the archaic cultural practice.

The International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM is celebrated globally every February 6 as part of the United Nation’s efforts to eradicate the act which is one of the ancient cultures in some parts of Africa.

Edited by Olajumoke Adeleke