The Society for Life Changers and Good Parental Care (SOLIFE) has charged stakeholders in Osun State to beef up campaign against Female Genital Mutilation, (FGM) with the creation of community awareness to eradicate the practice.

The Chairman, Board of Trustee, SOLIFE, Mr Aremu Stephen, who disclosed this at the opening ceremony of a three-day Camp Project for community based organisations and women groups in Osun State recently, said the rating of the state as number one on the hierarchy of the six FGM most endemic states was disturbing.

He said: “Championing the intensive advocacy against female circumcision through the Camp Project meeting is to sensitise the people of the state on the dangers and disadvantages of FGM and to discourage the practice made paramount, based on the health risk associated with the practice, as well as the pattern and trend of medicalisation.”

At the program funded by Positive Action for Girls and Women, Aremu described the act as bad culture, which he said was disheartening and barbaric in the modern day.

 

“Rigorous campaigns and sensitisation against FGM will be taken to the market women, community development associations, religious places of worship, motor parks, local government health officers, birth attendants, as well as traditional rulers so that more people will be aware that it is bad and should be eradicated.

“FGM exposes its victims to HIV and other health implications ranging from dangerous infections arising from unsanitary conditions severe bleeding, as well as pain and trauma, with mutilated infants, girls and women facing irreversible lifelong health risks among other consequences,” he said.

Participants at the training were drawn from women groups and nongovernmental organisations in the state.