– ABDULSALAM ABDULQUADRI OLUSEGUN
According to WHO, the term “Female Genital Mutilation” refers to all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.
There are 4 different types of FGM as classified by World Health Organization (WHO).
FGM Type I: partial or total removal of the clitoris and/or the prepuce (Clitoridectomy).
FGM Type II: Partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora, with or without excision of the labia majora (excision).
FGM Type III: Narrowing of the vaginal orifice with the creation of a covering seal by cutting and appositioning the labia minora and/or the labia majora, with or without excision of the clitoris (infibulation).
The last type is the Type IV also known as UNCLASSIFIED refers to all other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for nonmedical purposes, for example, pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterization.
FGM of any type is a violation of the human rights of girls and women. FGM is known to be harmful to girls and women in many ways.
FGM practice is strongly rooted in culture and tradition; it has not been an easy task in getting people to abandon the practice despite the harmful effects on girls and women.
We are campaigning for the elimination due to its consequences listed below:
| Immediate risks | Long term Risk |
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FGM is a human right violation. Legislation that punishes FGM can accelerate change when a process of community change is in place. The legislation makes clear the disapproval of the State and support to those who renounce or wish to.
FGM is not only a health issue but also a threat and a violation to a number of human rights that include right to the highest attainable standard of health, right to physical and bodily integrity, right to be free from torture and cruel inhuman and degrading torture and right to life for girls and women.
Basically, FGM is carried out by different people for so many different reasons. However, various researches have proven that none of the reasons to be unjustifiable. While most people carry out the practice on baby girls few days after birth, others do it during puberty while others even do it before marriage.
Female Genital Mutilation does not have any known benefit. It thrives on myths and misconceptions.
FGM is women issue that concerns not only women but also men and affects men too. FGM is done for women because of men most times, for example; they want women to be faithful to their husbands because of the believe that FGM stops women from being promiscuous (which is not true). At the long run, its consequences not only affect women but men as well who are at the receiving end.
Moreso, this men as often times at in charge of the family, community etc because of our cultural beliefs. In these ways, women issue that affect women and men are also men’s issue!
Moreso, the role of the Traditional/community leaders in the fight against FGM is of paramount as they have enormous value in the day-to-today life of the people.
How Traditional/community leaders exercise their power in ending FGM in their communities
Traditional/community leaders have the power to produce specific rules to end FGM in the communities, what is needed is friendly approaches to convince and install trustworthy and sustainable behavioural change on the leaders themselves before we start convincing others,” is to lead by example.
Traditional/community leaders should see it that FGM is a part of traditional ritual being practiced in some communities to help reduce girl’s sexual desire and possible provocation that may force a girl to ask men to have sex which needs to be banned by Traditional/community leaders
Traditional/community leaders stand a better chance to end the FGM because they are the voices of authority to end the vice by giving the words to the entire community to end FGM.
Traditional/community leaders should be the ones to take the role of convincing other community members to see the need to abstain from FGM practices,” he says.
Traditional/community leaders leaders are the main drivers of FGM practices, they are the ones to face all friendly efforts needed to eradicate vice by convincing them to see the need to change their mindset because they are the most influential and powerful people on all affairs of communities ,”
Some influential Leaders fail to perform their roles because of little things they are getting from Practising Female Genital Mutilation, it is often performed for financial as well as cultural reasons – So they see it as a means of income, no matter how little they are getting from it but it is very wrong, because The practice has no health benefits for girls and women and cause severe bleeding and problems urinating, and later cysts, infections, as well as complications in childbirth and increased risk of new born deaths. The practice of FGM is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. So all Traditional/community leaders should see it as a major to put an end to it in their communities.
Roles Traditional/Community Leaders can play in Ending FGM
At the community level, many people still believe that FGM is a cultural requirement. In order to shift these deeply-held cultural norm, our fathers – the traditional rulers must speak out against the practice on the basis of the religious statements that exist.
- They should come together and establish a joint response to FGM.
- They should continuously engage with members FGM in order to create harmony and improve their relationship without antagonism;
- They should lead advocacy and champion the cause for elimination of the harmful traditional practices that harms one gender over another.
- They should debunk the myth that FGM is a cultural requirement, they should therefore speak out debunk the myths and misconception surrounding FGM
- They should join hands with government and enact local laws prohibiting FGM and protecting our women and girls in their domain.
We are the generation to End Female Genital Mutilation.
