A child abuse specialist, Maryam Enyiazu, said on Monday that Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Ebonyi and Imo State topped the list of states with highest cases of female genital mutilation in the country.
Enyiazu, a specialist with United Nations International Children’s Fund, made this known at a “Media Partnership towards Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Abandonment in Nigeria” in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.
According to her, genital mutilation or female circumcision was prevalent in the southern parts of the country than the northern part.
She said states in the South West accounted for 56.9 per cent of the cases, while the South East accounted for 40.8 per cent.
North Central, she stated, recorded 9.6 per cent of the cases, North East, 1.3 per cent; North West, 0.4 per cent; and South South, 34.7 per cent.
The expert added that Infibulations, which is the total removal of the clitoris and stitching of the vagina to allow small hole for urination, was the most common in Nasarawa State, with 22 per cent, Kaduna State has 21 per cent and Bayelsa State with 20 per cent
Enyiazu disclosed the practice was higher among women whose mothers were circumcised, adding: “The higher the level of education of a woman, the less her daughter’s chance of being mutilated.”
According to her, female genital mutilation constitutes a violation of the right of a girl child and women as they are susceptible to lots of health complications.
In her contribution, Doune Porter, UNICEF’s Chief of Communication, said Nigeria was number three of countries with high prevalence rate of genital mutilation in the world.
Porter said the country came after Egypt and Ethiopia, with close to 20 million Nigerian girls and women having their genitalia mutilated.
She said UNICEF and other stakeholders were determined to end the practice in Nigeria, explaining that the health implication of the practice on the girl child and women were enormous.
Also speaking, Prof. Modupe Onadeko, the National President of the Inter-African Committee on Female Genital Mutilation, called for stiffer punishment for persons caught circumcising a girl or any form of genital mutilation in the country.
Onadeko said the call would deter people from mutilating female genitals.
She appealed to state governments to domesticate Violence against Persons (Prohibition Act) 2015.
“Until we make a scapegoat out of these people still practicing female genital mutilation, they will not take the matter serious,” Onadeko said.
She said her committee would continue to educate parents and traditional circumcisers on the dangers associated with the practice.
NAN
Trending
- Bodies of two victims of Baltimore bridge collapse recovered
- INEC disowns Anambra Labour Party national convention
- Breaking: Okuoma: Army declares eight wanted + Full names, photos
- International friendly: Super Eagles Coach takes positives despite defeat
- How to resolve Nigeria’s security challenges using Gumi — Veteran Journalist
- Akande slams Labour Party leadership, urges alignment with national Interest
- Naira gains 5.97% against Dollar at official market
- Police neutralise two notorious bandits in Benue