Female genital mutilation otherwise known as female circumcision has over time been a public health issue with stakeholders proffering ways to deal with the seeming intractable phenomenon given our social and cultural dynamics.

Statistics show that over 200 million girls and women have undergone Female Genital Mutilation, (FGM) in Africa, Middle East and Asia. Most of these girls are between infancy and 15years. More than 3 million girls are estimated to be at risk for FGM annually and Nigeria is not unaffected.

This was one of the submissions at an online sensitization via zoom organized by the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) Edo State Chapter on the ills of FGM.

The practice is mostly carried out by traditional circumcisers; however some of these cases are performed by health care providers which are presently unacceptable. FGM is a violation of the human rights of girls and women.

A consultant Obstetrician and Gynacologist, Dr Francis Ekhosuehi, says FGM is recognised as harmful to girls and women both physically and psychologically and has no medical benefits.

He stressed that according to World Health Organization (WHO), any procedure involving the partial or total removal of the external genitalia or any other injury such as pricking, piercing, incising, scrapping, cauterization to the genital organs for non-medical was dangerous.

To the chairperson, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Edo State Branch,Iryn Omorogiuwa, with the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) law enacted, it would seek to protect women and girls from FGM.

She noted that FGM violates the rights of the feminine gender, affects the quality of health-care they receive, causes some form of insecurity and affect their integrity. The absence of a federal law in this regard poses a huge challenge in the prosecution of the programme nation wide.

Chairman, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Edo State Council, Mrs Catherine Eseine, noted that female genital mutilation problems has both short term and long term health dangers.

She explained that the short-term health dangers are severe pains, excessive bleeding, shock and high risk of contracting the Human Immune-deficiency Virus (HIV).

The cutting of the genital tissues with the same surgical instrument without sterilization could increase the risk for transmission of HIV between girls who undergo FGM together, urination problems, impaired wound healing, mental health problems among others.

She added that long time dangers of FGM occurs at anytime during life example pains, infections, painful urination and vaginal problems.

Ronke Ojiekere Initiator Society to Heighten Awareness Women and Children Abuse (SOTHAWACA) stated that sensitization should be carried out in rural communities to educate people on the dangers of FGM because excuses most women gave are purely based on cultural and traditional reasons.

In her remarks, Chairperson, Nigeria Association of Woman Journalists (NAWOJ) Edo State Chapter, Comrade Adesuwa Ehimuan reiterated that stakeholders should take action to end FGM and all forms of Gender Base Violences (GBV) against women and girls both in the urban and rural areas to achieve the goals.

She said they must begin to educate and enlighten women on the dangers of FGM, using the opportunity to appreciate the facilitator and participants for attending the program.

Before this can be done effectively, it is important stakeholders equip themselves to challenge the discriminatory reasons FGM is practiced Among the discriminatory reasons is a perceived need to control female sexuality, a practice that envisions that a girl behaves properly to save her virginity until she gets married and then stay faithful to her husband.

One of the key instruments that can be deployed to change traditions – with the support of older generations most of whom still bate on the essence of the old practice as a means of checking promiscuity.

The key driver in this regard is to create the needed awareness and educate girls on their right to decide what happens to their body; a right which some younger parents often tramples upon through discrete performance of FGM on little girls between age 1-14 years of age taking advantage of their innocence.

Vivian was one of the latest girls in her family to be cut at. She has taken upon herself to talk to friends from her neighbourhood who will help decide on their daughters’ futures as regards this phenomenon.

Some of them want to cling to this tradition, even though they are aware of the health and social consequences. She believes it is inhuman to deprive a woman the opportunity to enjoy sex.

Experts believe that speaking out about the risks and realities of FGM is the way to go given its lasting physical and mental consequences that need to be discussed so that girls and women no longer have to suffer in silence.

The good thing is that many more people have started to speak against the harmful practice even though some health practitioners still accept to perform FGM on girls brought to them by desperate parents who still subject their wards to the needless pains of FGM for fear of dire spiritual consequences should they did otherwise.

It therefore become imperative to spread understanding that religion does not demand FGM “People think that religion advocates cutting to ensure that a girl stays virtuous and pure. I tell them that I lost my own daughter to female genital cutting and that it’s a practice that must be stopped because of all the problems it causes,” says a 48year old Imam in his village.

“My assistant said to me recently, if I didn’t know your story, I’d still preach that in the name of our religion, the tradition of cutting should be continued.’

“People don’t seem to be able to distinguish between religion and traditional practices. They tend to see them as one and the same thing.”

One of the key elements in the fight against FGM is to tackle the secrecy that allows cutting to continue in our society.

“In the old days, genital cutting was an initiation rite for girls, to prepare them for their future. The whole community would participate. But nowadays it’s become more controversial and it usually takes place discreetly at home. And the girls who are cut are getting younger and younger. This is because the younger a girl is; the less likely she’ll be to discuss it with her friends”.

“Cutting, is a violation of children’s rights: the right to physical integrity, the right to good health and the freedom to make your own choices. It even violates a child’s right to be educated. If the wound becomes infected because the cutter uses an unsterilised knife, for example, the girl will fall ill and be unable to attend school.

“My biggest challenge in the struggle against female genital cutting is the passing of legislation that will outlaw it. Then, and only then, will we be able to put an end to FGM. But it will take a lot of lobbying and advocating, at all levels: in government, in parliament, and in villages and communities.”

As well as the need for legislative change, it’s essential that the traditional attitudes and social norms that allow FGM to continue are tackled so that open honest discussions about the risks and consequences of FGM may happen. The time to act is now.