We Are Gradually Eliminating FGM/C In Afikpo – Stakeholders

The member representing Afikpo West state constituency, Hon Kingsley Ikoro and a woman leader in Ukpa Community, Elder Patricia Ewa have said that with the intervention of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the community was gradually eliminating Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting, FGM/C in the local government.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP about the effort being made to ensure the total elimination of the practice in Afikpo, Hon Ikoro maintained that UNICEF’s campaign against FGM/C and the wife of the state governor, Mrs. Uzoamaka Nwifuru, have impacted the people of the community positively.

He noted that the drive to ensure its total abandonment has been embraced by the traditional institution, different women groups and the church, adding that the campaign has been stepped down across the different communities in the local government.

He noted that before now, Afikpo local government used to rank number two in the practice in the state, but with the enforcement of sanctions and other punishments on the perpetrators, the ugly scourge of FGM/C is almost eliminated in the community.

“I can’t say that FGM/C is completely eliminated in Afikpo Local Government. But I can tell you that if we were rated number two in the past, I think with the campaign, sensitization and the sanctions on the practice, it will not be out of place to say that Afikpo now ranks the least.

“First let me commend UNICEF for bringing the campaign to the State. Before now, it used to be a practice that everyone imbibed but with the sensitization and enlightenment campaign of the agency and that of the state first lady, our people saw the need to abandon the practice.

“Yes we have not achieved 100% abandonment but we are gradually getting there. We are not going to relent but we will continue to support UNICEF, we as lawmakers, the traditional institution, the different age grades, the church, the women groups, we will all work to ensure we achieve 100% abandonment,” he said.

The Chief of Field Office, United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF Field Office Enugu, Mrs Juliet Chiluwe, in a workshop in Enugu, appreciated the drop in prevalence, especially among women aged (15-49) when compared to previous years according to MICS and NDHS, data.

Mrs. Chiluwe said that this is the most critical time to step up the pace, especially by strengthening alliances among grassroots activists, communities, government, organizations, and the private sector to build a powerful social movement that ends harmful norms and builds movements.

She called on the government, donors and the private sector to step up financial investment to scale up effective intervention, adding that girls, women survivors, and youths should also expand social movements through strategic coalitions that amplify action to eliminate female genital mutilation.

Mrs Chiluwe said that ending FGM/C requires the collective efforts of girls, women, survivors, and men, amongst others, as key allies.

In her reaction, a woman leader, Elder Patricia Ewa called for a more vigorous campaign against FGM/C especially as it concerns mother in-laws who still insist on the practice of massaging.

“In Afikpo, I can beat my chest and tell you that we have achieved over 95% abandonment in cutting, but we still have problems with the issue of using hot water and Vaseline to massage the little baby.

“We have taken the campaign to different churches, meetings and other social gathering, we have invited people to educate our aged women especially mother in-laws on the need not to use hot water or Vaseline in massaging the baby, while many accepted, others still secretly indulge in it.”

A health worker, Mrs. Charity Nkama, said that before now, FGM/C caused the women and girls a lot of health challenges, which she said include excessive bleeding and unbearable pain, which mostly leads to death.