To commemorate the International Day of Zero Tolerance against Female Genital Mutilation, FGM, Balm in Gilead Foundation for Sustainable Development, BIGF, in partnership with Gender Mobile Initiative, GMI, sensitized Ekiti residents against the unwholesome practice of FGM.
The road walk sensitization held across major markets in Ado-Ekiti, on Monday, including Oja Oba, Oja Bisi, Okeyimi, Irona and the popular Atikankan axis in the state capital.
According to Mercy Abiola, Senior Programme Officer of BIGF, the organisation’s vision is aimed at sustainable living especially for women, youths and children through promotion of human rights.
Her words: ” FGM is a violation of human rights and today we decided to come together to commemorate this day, sensitize people on the ills of perpetrating FGM especially cutting the girl child.
“We partnered with GMI to implement this project within the four Local Government Areas in Ekiti State. This idea is an international thing as this day is being commemorated internationally. There is a campaign that has been sponsored by UNICEF towards the end of last year in collaboration with GMI to implement this programme.”
Meanwhile, the Deputy Director, Nursing Service in the Ekiti State Ministry of Health and Human Services, Akinleye Olukemi encouraged Ekiti people to shun the practice of FGM.
“FGM we all know is violation of human right and right of the girl child. If you mutilate a girl child, you have already spoiled the life of the child. Every part of the reproductive organ of the girl that has be mutilated have a lot of harmful effect on the girl child.
“It affects the girl child later in life and all those ones that can affect her as human being- the pains, hard labour, Infertility, shock, Infection and prolong labour.
“The girl child seems her self as incomplete, emotional disturbances and issues that are medical. I encourage parents at home, all youth, male and female to end these practises of FGM.”
Babalola Adebayo, Principal Public Affairs Officer, National Human Rights Commission in Ekiti State said: “To flag off a campaign against Gender Based Violence, as well as FGM and other related offence which of course are prevalent in Ekiti state.
“Ekiti State over the years has recorded a very high rate of FGM and a lot of institutions, both foreign and local institutions, government and CSOs have come together to find ways to end it which have distorted the life of women and children in Ekiti state in the past years.
“It has a lot of impact on them, effect in their health, reproduction as well as their personality as woman in the society. The campaign is to sensitize people to let them know that the federal government institution, state government institution, as well as CSOs are campaigning seriously against it.”
The sensitization walk had in attendance NGOs and Civil Society Organisations across the state who came out enmasse to educate the public on the need to put an end to FGM.