By Idowu Adebomi, Eiiti

In a bid to eradicate Female Genital mutilation, Gender Based Violence and other Social Vices in the society, the Balm In Gilead For Sustainable Development(BIGIF) in conjunction with UNICEF has engaged selected stakeholders in a one day training and sensitization workshop aimed at accelerating end to FGM in Ekiti state.

The training objectives which is to equip participants with a clear understanding of national and state -level laws protecting survivors, strengthen participants skilss in handling cases with sensitivity, confidentiality and protection for survivors and improve inter-agency coordination and effective use of designated courts for GBV, VAC and FGM cases when instituted.

Deliverying the lecture on Social Cultural and Gender Dimension of female genital mutilation, Prof C.T Oluwadare exposed the cultural and social misleading theories which has continued to lead to parents to carry out fgm on their female children.

He decried the myths and unverified reports being used by people to coarse unsuspecting parents to take part in what he describes as a criminal act.

“There is a belief that a child dies at childbirth when the clitoris touches the head which is totally false. The issue of female genital mutilation was propounded by some people and they have used scary stories to keep the narrative growing and this has caused many women discomfort that many women now find it difficult to enjoy sex in their marriage” he noted.

Professor Oluwadare noted that fgm was rampant more in educated states especially in southwest compared to northern states where they believe to have less educated people.

He called on Religious leaders, Civil societies, Health workers and other concerned bodies to take up the camapaign against FGM seriously calling for the integration of traditional rulers especially ‘Iyaloja’s, women leaders and community elders to help propagate the dangers of the mutilating the female genitals.

“The religious leaders, the respected women leaders in each of the communities are more closer to the people in the grass roots and such command influence amongst the locals and so when they are sensitized and knowledgeable its easy to pass the message across and the fight against FGM can be fruitful” he concluded.

Barrister Rita when speaking on the laws/policies prohibiting FGM in Ekiti proposed strict punishment for anyone found engaging in the act of genital mutilation. She called on the Ministry of Women aAfffairs, Judiciary and law enforcement agencies to work together if significant progress is to be made in putting a stop to FGM in Ekiti state.

The Statistics and Data on FGM however showed that Ekiti state has the highest rate of Female Genital Mutilation in Nigeria with over 50.4 percent with implications that a good percent of the girl child born between 1996 to 2025 must have experienced genital mutilation.

The stakeholders highlighted the dangers and risks associated with fgm which include: severe bleeding, pains, trauma, possibility of not enjoying intimacy with their husbands,infection amongst others.

At the end of the training, a communique was issued where some decisions were reached they include;Rigorous advocacy on sensitization to the grassroots, Amplifying the story of survivals from the source to the public to create awareness, Traditional rulers and women leaders to be first respondents and should be incorporated as agents of campaigns against FGM, That FGM should be included into school curriculums.

The participants all promised to join the campaign against female genital mutilation and used their various capacities to sensitize, train and bring anyone found to engage in FGM to book under the ambeit of the law.