UNICEF and UNFPA have called for concerted effort to end FGM in Nigeria

United Nations Children’s Funds (UNICEF) has called for more united concerted and well funded action to end female genital mutilation in Nigeria.

The Chief of field office, UNICEF Enugu, Ibrahim Conteh made this known in a media interview in commemoration of 2021 female Genital Mutilation (FGM) day at the UNICEF office Enugu, tagged “no time for global inaction : United, Fund and Act to End FGM”.

” To further stem the advocacy and join efforts with governments, UNICEF and United Nations population Fund (UNFPA) have unequivocally noted that “2 million additional cases of female genital mutilation likely to occur over next decade due to COVID-19, Nigeria is not spared as country continues to record alarming cases of COVID-19” he said.

Conteh noted that all procedures involving the partial or total removal of female external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for nonmedical reasons is reorganized internationally as a violation of human right, health and the integrity of girls and women.

He said that about 200 million women in 28 countries have been subjected to FGM according to world health organization (WHO).

Conteh however lamented that in the Enugu field office zone, IMO and Ebonyi states are still have the highest burden of FGM in Nigeria with 61.17% and 53.2% respectively saying that with the concerted efforts of the stakeholders it would, before 2030 reduce to zero Torrance.

He said that there is hope that it would be reduced because the percentage was about 68% and 74% in the two States respectively in 2013 and it has reduced to what it is in 2018 based on the UNICEF interventions.

He noted that with dialogue, interactions and engagements with governments and traditional rulers the two states have enacted laws against FGM in their states,

“to change the practice takes time because it is a culture,what we do is to engage the traditional rulers and the government on the need to change such culture that is harmful to our women and girls”.

” Female genital mutilation/cutting remains widespread in Nigeria, with national prevalence of 19.5 percent among women ages 15 to 49 percent among girls aged 0-14 NDHS ,2018) with a population of over 190 million people, this translates into millions of women and girls that have been cut especially in Nigerian’s high prevalent states”.

According to the National Demographic health data 2015 despite IMO and Ebonyi , Abia has the lowest percentage 12 percent among the five states in the south east followed by Anambra 21 and Enugu 25 percent respectively.

With the UNICEF interventions, Conteh was hopeful that may be in the next ten years rate would be reduced to zero Torrance in all the zones in Nigeria.