Female genital mutilation and women's right

Nigeria’s Minister of Health Isaac Folorunso Adewole attends an emergency National Council on Health meeting on the control of Lassa Fever in Abuja

Nigeria's Minister of Health, Isaac Folorunso Adewole

Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Isaac Folorunso Adewole
By RASAK MUSBAU

February 6 of every year has since 2003 been designated by the United Nation as the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Countries across the world have continued to commemorate the day through a range of activities aimed at putting an end to the brutal and gruesome procedure that is considered as a violation of person’s right to health, security and physical integrity as well as the right to be free from torture and the right to life when the procedure results in death.

World Health Organization, WHO, defined female genital mutilation as all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organ for non-medical reasons. It is a practice whose origin and significance is shrouded in ambiguity and mystification. Its origin is also fraught with controversy, either as an initiation ceremony of young girls into womanhood or to ensure virginity. It is erroneously seen as “Calming” of woman’s personality and a form of cultural identity, which is an ethnic initiation into adulthood. This dangerous tradition and women’s right violation has been so widespread that it could not have risen from a single origin.

Though still practiced in more than 28 countries in Africa and a few scattered communities worldwide, the burden of FGM is seen in Nigeria, Egypt, Mali, Eritrea, Sudan, Central African Republic, and Northern part of Ghana where it has been an old traditional and cultural practice of various ethnic groups. FGM is also said to persist amongst immigrant populations living in Western Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand,

Nigeria has the highest absolute number of female genital mutilation worldwide, accounting for about one-quarter of the estimated 115-130 million circumcised women in the world. The Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2013 showed a prevalence of FGM among adult women by geopolitical zone to be highest in the South-West with 56.9 per cent; South-East 40.8 per cent; South-South 34.7 per cent; North-Central 9.6 per cent; North-East 1.3 per cent; and North-West 0.4 per cent. As reported in the NDHS, 45 out of every 100 adult women living in Lagos State for instance have undergone FGM at one time or another. This is largely due to migration from those states where the prevalence is much higher.

It is ironical that the southern states that have higher literacy levels are also the most involved in this primitive socio-cultural practice. Reasons range from a belief that it reduces sexual desire and promiscuity; promotes chastity and helps young ladies attract husbands early. It is also wrongly ascribed to religious beliefs and traditional norms of female rites of adulthood.

To discerning minds, promiscuity largely stems from orientation and societal values. So, knowledge about the issue could help people make logical decision. As of now, much of the accumulated knowledge about FGM and fistula indicates that FGM and fistula have negative health implications. Medical experts and studies by WHO, UNICEF and other world bodies assert that, unlike male circumcision, FGM has no medical benefits whatsoever.

On the other hand, UN Population Fund affirms that “FGM does irreparable harm. It can result in death through severe bleeding, pain and trauma and overwhelming infections.” WHO adds that it also results in problems with urinating, could cause cysts, infections, infertility and complications in childbirth. “Women with FGM are significantly more likely than those without FGM to have adverse obstetrics outcomes including: Prolonged or obstructed labour, obstetric fistula, postpartum (after delivery) hemorrhage and extended maternal hospital stay.

For the infants, young girls and women who are subjected to the dehumanizing practice; it is routinely traumatic and has been linked to cervical cancer, a major killer of Nigerian women. At the same time, it is more often also undertaken by local birth attendants or untrained “surgeons” using crude and un-sterilized instruments. It is reported that FGM victims go through extremely painful menstrual periods when they reach puberty and painful sex in marriage. Given these facts, FGM constitutes violence against women and it is about time it is stoutly resisted and completely eradicated.

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While Nigerian government, in the last decade, has recognized the practice of female genital mutilation as harmful and has embarked on corrective measures aimed at addressing the end of the practice through the formulation of policies/programmes, legislation and behavioural change, the practice is still common.

FGM is contrary to Child Rights Law of 2004, the 1999 constitution and other document including the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015, banning the practice of FGM signed by former Nigerian president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan in May 2015. Major challenges have emerged regarding the enforcement of the Law, with some claiming that the illegality of the practice has served to push it underground.

Now, where do we go from here? The way forward is usage of communication for development. There is need to resort to and prioritize reverse flow of communication. People should be ready to change their behaviour when they understand the hazards and indignity of harmful practices and when they realize that it is possible to give up harmful practices without giving up meaningful aspects of their culture.

To stem the tide of this evil practice, governments at various level should work with and empower the custodians of the people’s culture and tradition, faith-based organizations, teachers, youth groups, women group and town union executives among other stakeholders. Empowerment in this context is in form of effective communication and sharing of strategies that will allow the social actors and custodians of custom and religion to be in a position to educate their people on the evils of FGM. Perhaps, what the law could not achieve, enlightenment will do.

As it was done in the case of polio eradication, state governments must pursue FGM eradication with equal vigour. States and Local Governments should urgently revive the primary health care system and eliminate the local, untrained mutilators who use unsanitary tools to harm our girls in the name of circumcision. Elimination of local and untrained mutilators however requires provision of alternative source of livelihood.

Parents and guardians should be enlightened on the fact that FGM has no single health benefit, except condemning women to sexual frustration and other such hazards when married.

On a final note, if we are to eliminate FGM, a multi-disciplinary approach involving legislation, partnership between States and communities, professional health organizations, women empowerment and public sensitization must be fully embraced.

Musbau is of Features Unit, Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy

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