The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, the association of female Lawyers, FIDA, Women-led Non-Govermental Organisations in Ondo State joined the Inter-African Committee, IAC, to sensitise women on zero tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, FGM.
This was to mark the 2020 international day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, declared by the United Nations on every 6th February.
The sensitisation, which started with a walk led by the IAC Coordinator, Mrs. Margret Adebayo from Akure townhall meeting, terminated at the Isinkan market with health talks.
The state Executive Chairman of IAC, Dr. Mrs. Modupe Dairo explained that circumcision was meant for male children, as directed by God.
She added that Female Genital Mutilation did more harm to women than good, and implored women to raise their voices against the practice in their localities.
The FIDA Chairperson, Mrs. Bola Joel, noted that whoever was caught in the act was liable to two years jail term.
She noted that the practice was common among women, while charging every individual to report cases of female circumcision to the police or FIDA.
The State Chairperson of NAWOJ, Mrs. Doris Olumoko avowed the commitment of female journalists to use their professional skills to join forces against any violence act against womenfolk.
Giving a health talk, Mrs. Olabisi Owolabi said the practice was damaging to the health of female children.
The mid-wife described as falsehood, all the traditional beliefs attached to the practice, saying there was no genuine reasons for doing it according to a research.
She stated that there were communities that take female circumcision as a taboo, and their children weren’t into prostitution as a result of that.
According to her, the genital cutting can cause VesicoVaginal Fistula, VVF, and other infections for victims.
The IAC Coordinator, Mrs. Adebayo, therefore assured of their readiness to take the sensitisation to the rural communities and carry out survey on the level of FGM practice in Ondo State.
Also speaking, a member of the Women-led NGO, Mrs Bisi Omolona urged women to give their female children adequate sex education, to curb promiscuity, rather than promoting mutilation.
The event had in attendance market women led by the Erelu Iyaloja-General of Akure kingdom, Chief Mrs. Adefunmilaye Adekanye, the Traditional Birth Attendants among others.
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