A one-day sensitisation programme on the need to abandon female genital mutilation (FGM) driven by the United Nations International Children’s and Educational Fund (UNICEF) with the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Ministry of Health and some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as partners has ended in the 31 communities in Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo State.
The one-day training which drew selected participants from all the 31 communities in the LGA took place at the Urualla Civic Centre. The training discussed the harmful effects of FGM, how to increase the knowledge of the participants, efforts deployed to end FGM, violence against women and girls, etc.
Ibrahim Conteh, the UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Enugu, who was represented by Benjamin Mbakwem, UNICEF consultant on FGM, Imo and Ebonyi States, took time to educate the selected participants on the four types of FGM and also explained the various dangers in the practice.
He urged the selected participants to go into their respective communities to educate and counsel others, persuading them to end the practice of female genital mutilation which has been outlawed all over the world.
Vitus Ekeocha, director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Imo State, said in an interview that a survey conducted in 2015 in Nigeria showed five states where the practice of FGM was prevalent to include Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Imo and Ebonyi States. In Imo State, he said, the practice is prevalent in nine local government areas which are Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta, Ngor/Okpala, Ikeduru, Ehime, Ihitte-Uboma,Owerri West and Orlu.
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“We were trained on the harmful practices and effects of FGM among our girl-child and women, and we said for us to achieve the abandonment of this practice, it is not what you call the traditional rulers and tell them and pass a law, and is not what you call those who cut the children and everything to stop,” Ekeocha said.
“You engage every segment of the society in that community; when all of them understand the harmful effects and why it should be stopped, they willingly will come out and say we want to stop it. And what do we do when they say they want to stop it? We ask them to declare publicly,” he said.
Ekeocha stated that each community, on the day of the public declaration they have agreed on, “will come out at a designated place each with its traditional ruler and his cabinet and other members of the community and publicly say they have heard that female circumcision is not good and they have agreed that they want to stop it in their community and anybody caught circumcising his female child will receive a punishment and be handed over to the police”.
He also informed that the Law no. 6, 2017 of Imo State prohibits the practice of female genital mutilation.
Ekeocha informed that the campaigns in the communities to stop FGM in Imo State have already recorded success with five communities declaring publicly to stop it. He gave reasons why the law passed has not been able to stop it.
“We do not want to focus on the law because we know that laws cannot stop a practice. It is a cultural practice, it is a traditional practice, it is a social norm,” Ekeocha said.
“How do we do it? First of all, we talk to them about social norms, talk to them about tradition and culture. If a tradition or culture is not beneficial, what do we do? Because of the dynamics of the society, you abandon it and this is why we are focusing on community engagement. So when they have understood the reason why they have to abandon it, the law will now take effect,” he said.
Godstime Chukwuma Uzoatu from Obodoukwu, one of the communities, described the sensitisation campaign as an “eye-opener” in Ideato North with a high rate of FGM.
“The danger is much and we are now the ambassadors to carry the message to our people to stop it immediately. In fact, this will take most of my time so that all and sundry will stop it,” he said.
Chinemerem Uzoatuegwu, one of the girls who participated in the programme, decried the practice.
“It is not good. I will carry the message to my village and to my fellow young girls and my choir group in the church,” she said.
