The Deputy Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Women Affairs, Mr Vincent Ofumelu has called for an end to the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
Ofumelu made the call at the opening ceremony of the Advance Female Artisan programe organised by the National Council for Women and Development (NCWD) on Thursday in Abuja.
The lawmaker said ending female genital mutilation would bring an end to the menace caused by the practice.
“We are trying to make sure women are empowered not only in politics, but they should have something doing and we are doing much to ensure the issue of female genital mutilation comes to an end.’’
On her, part, Director General, NCWD, Mrs Mary Ekpere-Eta said the centre has been carrying out advocacies to bring an end to the practice.
Ekpere-Eta, decried the danger caused by the practice, which she said had affected girls and women in the society.
“We are doing a lot of advocacy, which is one of our mandates and we have been educating people on the danger and need to stop the practice.’’
On his part, Dr Emmanuel Tabat, a medical practitioner at the Taraba State Specialist Hospital said female genital mutilation had no health benefits for girls and women, but rather compounded more to either long term or short term health challenges.
Tabat added that the practice caused severe bleeding and problems in urinating, and later cysts, infections, as well as complications in childbirth and increased risk of newborn deaths.
He, therefore, advised that people should desist from such cultural practices.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), FGM involves the partial or total removal of external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.
WHO also discloses that over 200 million girls and women alive today have been cut in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where FGM is concentrated. (NAN)
