The Oyo State Government, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has called for stronger prosecution of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) cases across Edo, Ekiti, Osun, Ondo, and Oyo states as part of efforts to eradicate the practice in Southern Nigeria.
The resolution was reached during a three-day Multi-Sectoral Engagement meeting in Lagos, which focused on improving justice system responses and survivor-centred approaches to addressing FGM.
The meeting brought together law enforcement officers, judicial actors, NGOs, government agencies, and religious leaders.
In his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Oyo State Ministry of Information, Mr. Rotimi Babalola, who represented the Commissioner, Prince Dotun Oyelade, described the engagement as “apt and timely.”
He cited the persistence of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) despite the existence of laws such as the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP) and the Child Rights Law.
He noted that although all five states already have legal frameworks criminalising Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), challenges remain. These include under-reporting, weak enforcement, inadequate survivor-centred responses, and poor inter-agency collaboration, all of which have hindered progress
Babalola commended UNICEF for initiating the workshop, which he said aimed at bridging gaps in FGM response through enhanced capacity-building, timely case documentation, survivor protection, and prosecution of offenders.
He said: “The goal is clear, which is to enhance FGM reporting, ensure survivor protection, and strengthen the justice system through improved multi-sectoral collaboration.”
Babalola urged participants to propose actionable strategies, strengthen coordination among agencies, and review gaps that limit progress, while expressing gratitude to UNICEF and its partners for their support.
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“I am confident that with the calibre of attendees at this workshop, we shall have a successful outing and make significant progress in our collective efforts to eliminate FGM—for the future of the girl-child, who will grow up to become a mother in our society,” he said.
UNICEF Child Protection Specialist, Mr Denis Onoise, stressed the urgency of eliminating the harmful practice, outlining the four types of FGM: clitoridectomy, excision, infibulation, and unclassified forms.
Onoise observed that despite the adoption of laws like the VAPP Act, prosecutions remain rare and many communities are reluctant to report cases.
He called for stronger legal enforcement, greater budgetary support for anti-FGM programmes, and continued engagement with traditional leaders and men-led advocacy groups.
“Our goal is clear, we need to increase our steps ten times beyond what we are doing now to eradicate FGM in our states by 2030,” Onoise said.
The Executive Director of Trailblazer Initiative, Dr Dare Adaramoye, also called for the establishment of specialised courts to handle gender-based violence cases, including FGM, and highlighted serious gaps in reporting and justice processes that allow perpetrators to escape punishment.
“We’ve identified a serious gap in the chain of reporting and justice. It’s high time the law took its full course and perpetrators are held accountable.
“FGM does not prevent promiscuity. It is not culture. Give your girl child education, not mutilation,” he said.
Adaramoye urged stronger collaboration between communities, social services, and justice institutions, alongside specialised courts to fast-track cases of violence against women and children.
The workshop is expected to strengthen participants’ knowledge of FGM laws, survivor-centred responses, and reporting procedures; improve coordination across law enforcement, health, welfare, and justice sectors; enhance survivor protection and prosecution outcomes; and promote sustained community engagement against the practice.
The initiative reflects a shared commitment by government, international partners, and civil society to end all forms of gender-based violence, particularly those targeting girls and women, and to uphold their rights, dignity, and future.