The Delta Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Community Support, Mrs Bridget Anyafulu, has called on stakeholders to join in the campaign against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
Anyafulu made the call during a sensitisation workshop organised for teachers and female students of the Zappa Primary School, Asaba, on Monday in Asaba.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the World Health Organisation says Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) includes procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.
It involves the removal of part or all the female external genitalia.
Anyafulu said that any circumcision done to a female child could lead to the death of the child, noting that abolishing the practice was designed to protect the child.
She said that it had become imperative for every stakeholder to speak to people on the the need to avoid the practice.
On her part, the Delta Coordinator of Girls Power Initiative, a Non- Governmental Organisation (NGO), Ehita Aikpitanyi, said that the workshop was part of the activities to commemorate the 2022 World Female Genital Mutilation day .
She said that it was an international day set aside to remind the world on the need to fight against FGM/C, adding that it was barbaric.
”Female Genital Mutilation has been described as harmful practice with several health implications for the girl-child and should be abolished in every society,” she said.
She also said that the Girls Power Initiative was an organisation aimed at ensuring that the girl child grows to become a healthy adult who would take responsibility and leadership roles as well as be able to function independently.
Aikpitanyi said that the organisation was designed to ensure that the dominance of men, especially in Nigerian society, was broken to give women the opportunity to be participants in leadership positions in the society.
She explained that FGM was a harmful practice that prevented girls from being healthy.
“When a girl is mutilated, she can bleed to death as well as contact infections.
“The 2022 ‘World Female Genital Mutilation day is geared towards zero tolerance to the practice,” she said.
According to her, her organisation believes that every girl-child has the right to live healthy and be encouraged not to suffer any form of violence.
Aikpitanyi said that the initiative to educate the stakeholders, especially teachers, was because of the pivotal role teachers play in enlightening the wider society.(NAN)
