This stemmed from UNICEF’s joint efforts with the UNFPA to end the scourge in some countries, disclosed at a recent one-day policy dialogue with Women of Divine Destiny Initiative (WODDI) with support from UNICEF/UNFPA in Owerri, capital of Imo State with the theme ‘Ending female genital mutilation is a political decision’.
Also, a joint statement issued by UNICEF Executive Director, Henrietta H. Fore and UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Natalia Kanem was presented in Owerri, the Imo State capital by UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office, Enugu, Dr. Ibrahim Conteh, on the recent International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, marked worldwide on February 6 annually.
It however restated a call on governments at all levels, civil society organisations, as well as traditional and religious leaders to join together and end the scourge of Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting in Imo State and Nigeria.
“Female genital mutilation is many things, including being a violent act that causes infection, disease, childbirth complications, and even death. A cruel practice that inflicts lasting emotional harm and preys on the most vulnerable, least powerful members of society – girls between infancy and age 15, as well as a violation of human rights that both reflects and perpetuates the low status of girls and women in too many places.
In her remarks, the wife of founder of Women of Divine Destiny Initiative (WODDI) and wife of the governor of the state, Mrs. Nkechi Rochas Okorocha commended all genuinely committed efforts to the elimination of the practice for their doggedness, dismissing it as an ill wind that blows nobody any good.
In a related development, an Ilorin-based Non- Governmental Organisation, Theios Caregivers Initiative has called on the residents of Kwara state to continue to shun all forms of female genital mutilation because of its inherent effects on the women in the nearest future.
This, the organisation said would go a long way of accelerating the socio well being of the populace.
Executive Director, of the organisation, Oshiniwe Anthonia, made the call in Ilorin during the sensitisation awareness campaigns across the major streets of the state capital on the female genital mutilation.
In order to gain people’s attention, the organisation stitched many blades with safety pins on their clothes, a development that prompted people to be asking why and they explained to them.
Anthonia later told journalists that it was a difficult task to convince people to stop the act because the tradition has been with them over decades. She explained that the NGO is saddled with the responsibility of protecting children and human in general.
She stressed that the Theios Caregivers Initiative has done a lot of work mainly on protecting children physically, emotionally and sexually, the girl child education and sexual health.