Child Rights Advocates seek end to FGM

By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko

Some child rights advocates and members of  the Child Protection Network Nigeria (CPN), Oyo State chapter  have urged stakeholders and governments to ensure an end to Female Genital Mutilation (FGN) in Nigeria.

They made the call in interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Thursday.

The interviews were on the backdrop of the observance of the International Day of zero tolerance for FGM.

NAN reports that the day is observed  annually on Feb. 6, with the 2025  theme as “Stepping Up the Pace: Strengthening Alliances and Building Movements to end FGM”.

The  CPN Coordinator for Oyo state, Dr Rosemary Odigbo, said FGM remained a severe violation of human rights, affecting over 230 million girls and women worldwide.

She noted  that in 2025 alone, nearly 4.4 million girls are projected to be at risk.

” CPN advises the government to enforce existing anti-FGM laws and prosecute offenders; stakeholders should strengthen advocacy, sensitisation, and community engagements to raise awareness.

“Traditional and religious leaders must reject harmful cultural norms, while families should protect their children by abandoning FGM practices.

“Collective action and sustained education are key to ending FGM,” Odigbo, also the Executive Director, Jesus Children Missions Outreach said.

An Advocate against FGM, Dr Dare Olagoke-Adaramoye, emphasised that women whose genitals were mutilated,  faced higher maternal and neonatal mortality rates.

“The procedure is often performed without anesthesia, causing extreme pain and psychological distress, there are effects of excessive bleeding and infections.

“FGM increases the risk of prolonged labor, stillbirths, and postpartum hemorrhage, endangering both mother and baby.

“Many survivors suffer from painful urination, recurrent infections, menstrual difficulties and many other negative effects,” he said.

Olagoke-Adaramoye urged governments to enforce strict penalties for perpetrators and strengthen child protection laws.

He underscored the need to provide medical care, counseling, and rehabilitation programmes to help survivors heal and reintegrate.

“Enhancing access to education, vocational training, and economic opportunities to reduce vulnerability is paramount, governments and all stakeholders must work together to end this harmful practice,” he said.

The Executive Director, HOSEC Foundation, Mrs Ibukunoluwa Otesile, also  urged parents, guardians and communities to take a stand to protect girls against FGM.

“Advocacy, sensitisation are key to raising awareness, especially in grassroots, we seek increased support for these initiatives to help eliminate harmful cultural beliefs that sustain FGM.

“Ending FGM requires collective action, CPN remains committed to working with stakeholders to enforce policies, and  drive community-led efforts toward its eradication,” Otesile said.

Similarly, Mrs Airat Ogungbenro, the Federation of Muslim Women Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) Oyo state FGM Project Coordinator, said  FGM  remained a harmful practice that must end.

Ogungbenro added  that FGM included all procedures involving partial or total removal of external female genitalia or any other injury to female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

“It has no health benefits but causes severe harm to girls and women, leading to complications; we must unite to advocate complete abandonment of this harmful practice,” she said. (NAN)