The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, Oyo State branch, has called on parents and guardians to stop cutting the girl-child in order to reduce or eradicate incidences of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
In a statement signed by the Secretary of the Association, Stella Oyebanji, Oyo NAWOJ appealed not only to parents but also community leaders to desist from encouraging persons who violate girls rights by making unnecessary pleas to get the violators released after arrest or during prosecution.
“Our attention in Oyo NAWOJ was drawn to a case of FGM in a community in Atiba Local Government Area where a case was reported and the community began to beg and solicit for the release of perpetrators.
“It is time for everyone to realise that any attempt or violation against any female is purely a punishable offence under the child rights law of 2006 and the violence against person’s prohibition law of 2020,” she said.
According to the statement, a non-governmental organisation, Hacey Health Initiative, had reported the case of a mother who took a girl-child for post-natal care at a Primary Healthcare Centre, where the medical practitioners discovered that the baby girl had been mutilated, and reported at the nearest police station, disclosing that the community had frustrated the prosecution process by intimidating the mother who left the community for an unknown destination.
The association referred to another case of violation where a woman, who came from Lagos State, was arrested in Oyo State for cutting her daughter, disclosing that the case was on-going in court when the woman withdrew and the case was finally closed.
NAWOJ expressed its displeasure at the action of communities which continuously frustrate the process of justice, stating in no uncertain terms that it would no longer allow the culture of silence to prevail in the state, neither would it allow perpetrators to go unpunished and would do all it takes to save every girl-child from violation.
“We use this opportunity to call on the Chairman House Committee, Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Olawunmi Oladeji, to move for an amendment of the VAPP law to allow the state to continue prosecution of perpetrators whether the parents or guardians want it or not. The state has a right to protect lives. We also call on His Excellency to make a public pronouncement on the continuous violation of the rights of girls, especially FGM.”
Oyo NAWOJ commended organisations and partners that have continued to give the girl-child a voice in the state, such as, FIDA, the Oyo State Government, Hacey Health Initiative, Oyo State Primary Health Care Board, Oyo State Ministry of Women Affairs, Oyo State House of Assembly, FOMWAN, UNICEF, UNFPA and Institute of Church and Society, among others.
A 2022 study by UNICEF warns that FGM is on the rise among Nigerian girls aged 0-14, as rates have risen from 16.9 percent in 2013 to 19.2 percent in 2018.
The study says FGM remains widespread in Nigeria because with an estimated 19.9 million survivors, Nigeria accounts for the third highest number of women and girls who have undergone FGM worldwide.
PIAK
