Stakeholders Seek Sustained Commitment To End Female Genital Mutilation

Stakeholders working against Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting (FGM/C) in Oyo State have called for sustained commitment, stronger legislation and increased investment to eliminate the practice.

They warned that progress recorded over the years could be reversed if there are no further deliberate actions.

They made the call on Friday in Ibadan during a media briefing to commemorate the 2026 International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, organised by the Centre for Comprehensive Promotion of Reproductive Health (CCPRH).

The progamme was held in collaboration with the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists with funding support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

The programme themed, “Towards 2030: No End to FGM Without Sustained Commitment and Investment”, was held at the Ministry of Justice, Oyo State Government Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.

Delivering the keynote address, the chairman of the Oyo State House of Assembly Committee on Women Affairs and Community Development, Dr. Olufunke Olajide, described the protection of the girl child as a collective responsibility.

Olajide while condemning FGM, described it as a harmful practice with severe health and psychological consequences.

She said, “The welfare, growth, and development of our society rest heavily on the wellbeing of every girl child. We must nurture, protect, and preserve their future

“FGM poses immediate and long-term complications that create psychosocial, emotional, and unhealthy imbalances. We must strive for a community where every girl can thrive without fear of being cut.”

The lawmaker identified legislative oversight, budgetary commitment and policy continuity as critical pillars in ending the practice.

“We must strengthen laws such as the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law and ensure enforcement. Relevant ministries and agencies must create budget lines for anti-FGM programmes, while policies must be sustained across administrations if we are to meet the 2030 target,” she added.

Also, the chairman, House Committee on Finance, Appropriation and State Economic Planning, Olasunkanmi Babalola, said the state already has laws but needs effective implementation.

“The problem is not the absence of laws but their effectiveness. We are introducing post-legislative scrutiny to review how laws perform after execution and make necessary improvements,” he said.

Earlier, the executive director, CCPRH, Emeritus Professor Oladosu Ojengbede, said the global theme for 2026 highlights the need for consistent financing and political will.