A Non governmental organization, Hacey Health Initiative has called for more media participation in the advocacy against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Nigeria.
The call came at a capacity building workshop put together for media practitioners in Osogbo, the Osun state capital.
According to the organizers, the workshop was aimed at deepening the understanding of media personnel in the state on FGM, familiarizing them with relevant polices and laws as well as showing them how the media as an industry can advocate against Female Genital Mutilation.
While underscoring the importance of advocacy against Female Genital Mutilation in Nigeria, the Programme Officer (Monitoring and Evaluation) of the NGO, Olayemi Samuel, identified the media as a critical part of the drive to end FGM in the country.
“The role of journalists in reducing or advocating for the elimination of Female Genital Mutilation cannot be overemphasized. The media plays a leading role in terms of public awareness and engagement with relevant stakeholders. We identified them as one of the key players or major stakesholders to carry along, if we are to make success of our advocacy”, he said.
Toyin Adelowokan, FGM Focal Officer from Osun State Ministry of Health, described Female Genital Mutilation as a human rights violation and menace that has both short and long term risks, not only for every girl or woman cut, but also her family and the society at large.
Adelowokan listed genital tissue damage, reproductory tract infection, painful urination, chronic genital infection, clitoral cyst, keloids and virginal itching as some of the long term complications that could result from FGM.
She urged those who still carry out the practice in the name of culture to desist as most of the reasons advanced for sustaining it are no longer teneable.
Director Commercial and Legal Drafting, Osun State Ministry of Justice, Kayode Titiloye said the state has general and specific laws on FGM such as the Female Circumcision and Genital Mutilation (Prohibition) Law (2005) and Prohibition Against Domestic Violence (2013) which cater to the problem of FGM.
Titloye however decried the low level of awareness of these laws among women, whom the laws are meant to protect and suggested amendments to such laws to compel reportage of FGM cases.
Female Genital Mutilation is the deliberate cutting of part or whole of the external female genitalia for different purposes. It is still prevalent in some parts of the country and has now been classified as a human rights violation.
