…as NIGAWD Holds Community Consensus, Public Declaration of FGM Abandonment
By Precious Oham
Traditional Rulers in Aiyekire local government of Ekiti State have declared publicly that Female Genital Mutilation, FGM, must stop in the State.
The Obas stated this in Ode-Ekiti at the Community Consensus Building And Public Declaration of FGM Abandonment in Aiyekire local government, organized by New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative, NIGAWD, in collaboration with United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA.
Leading the charge, Chairman of Aiyekire Traditional Council and Olode of Ode, Oba Samuel Adara Aderiye pledged to eradicate the harmful practice of FGM in their communities.
Other Traditional Rulers in the local government that publicly declared the abandonment of FGM in their communities include the Obas of Iro, Ayeteju, Iluomoba, Imesi, Ijan, Aisegba, Agbado, Egbe and Isinbode.
The Project Coordinator of NIGAWD, Gbenga Adesunloro said the Obas had agreed to put an end to the practice after the NGO engaged them through dialogues, capacity building in conjunction with the Ministries of Women Affairs and Health.
He further noted that they have set up a surveillance team to monitor the activities of the community members towards ensuring strict adherence against FGM.
He said: “There’s one thing to have a law and another thing for people to actually see it as something that is beneficial to them. So, they have embraced the law that bans FGM.
“We are trying to use this medium to build the capacity of these selected people given to us by the community leaders. They will now be moving from place to place watching where they are giving birth, naming ceremonies, health facilities, the non conventional health settings like faith based homes, traditional birth homes. They are going to watch if they are actually perpetrating the act.
“They have data tools to document the houses that have made commitment and any person that is still not yielding so that we can quickly engage with them. What we are doing is to create that surveillance platform for people to watch and to document the effort.
“We believe that even if the project ends, those structures are community driven. Those are members of the community. We are building their capacity to see it as a calling and the feedback we can get from them is that at least they are passionate about it and beyond the community.”
In the same vein, Vice Chairman, Aiyekire local government, Hon. Joseph Femi charged the Obas and Community Leaders to extend the Anti-FGM message to their various communities, telling them the implications of the practice.
“Government have been campaigning against FGM but some people are very adamant to repent. With this program of the community abandoning it, I think it will go a long way in curbing FGM.
“The Community Leaders and Obas are expected to go back to their various communities and tell them the implications of FGM. They are expected to go to churches, mosques and social groups in the community to tell them about FGM and anyone that is found engaging in FGM will be punished by law.”
The Medical Officer of Health, PHC department in Ayekire LGA, Mrs Adeola-Johnson Grace Olufunke, who urged the people of the area to motivate their community members against FGM, seized the opportunity to disabuse the myth behind FGM practice.
Other highlights of the event is the engagement with the Community Surveillance Team Against FGM, among others.