Female Gender Circumcision (FGC) is usually done as a cultural or religious tradition. From available historical statistics, it’s a way of preserving chastity in marriage and hygiene, or a pre-condition for legal marriage in Africa. However, research have showed that, there is no health-oriented gains of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Rather it has harmful consequences for the physical and psychological well-being of women and girls.
Campaigning against female circumcision in Nigeria is an all-important immediate assignment for everybody. It is a gender-based violence that trampled upon the human rights and dignity of women and girls. This is known to trigger unimaginable and severe trauma, pain, bleeding, infections, infertility, childbirth complications, and even death among others which is an antidote to what they wanted to prevent or control.
Contextual underpinning circumstances to FGC has revealed many ways to advocate against the violence in Nigeria, depending on your skills, resources and interests. Some of the possible action steps include but not restricted to:
1. Empowering yourself and others about the facts and tales of FGM and challenging the historical social norms and status quo that supported it.
2. Supporting the survivors of FGC by giving attention to their stories, respecting their choices, opinions and referring them to appropriate advocacy services.
3. Identifying with a group or social gathering that advocates against FGC in your community like, women’s rights organization, youth club for gender equality, or a faith-based group with a mandate to spread the unpleasant evil associated with female circumcision.
4. Campaigning for the implementation of laws and policies that protect the rights of women and girl child. For example, Violence Against Women Prohibition Act. (VAWPA)
5. Sponsoring awareness and raising financial support for organizations that provide essential services to victims of FGM, such as health care, education, pro-bono legal aid, counselling and reliable accommodations.
6. Adopting personal sacrifices and social platform to speak against FGM in order to amplify the voices of survivors in every forum or multi-media gallery while promoting the hidden exposition of truth about circumcision.
7. Engaging with youth and women organisations as partners in progress to ending FGM, through promotion of positive gender balance, challenging the obnoxious narratives and behaviours. Above all supporting their healing process from violence.
Advocating against female circumcision in Nigeria is not an easy task, but a rewarding project of multiple dimensions. We all could make a difference in the lives of many women and girls who suffered the trauma of FGM while contributing to a more peaceful and equitable society. We are not alone in this fight and enlightenment campaign against the scourge.
There are many organisations and individuals sharing similar vision and are ready to support logical ideology against every evil against women. Together, we shall end female circumcision in Nigeria.
In view of the procedural practice and categories, the World Health Organisation (WHO) identified the following four major types of female genital mutilation:
Category one: (Clitoridectomy), this is the least severe form of FGM.
A range of 5.8 per cent Nigerian women have undergone clitoridectomy, which is, cutting of the prepuce or the clitoral hood together with part or all the Labia minora (inner lip).
Category two: (Excision- flesh cut off), this is the most common type of FGM. It is a more severe practice that involves the removal of the clitoris along with partial or total excision of the labia minora. An estimated number of 62 per cent of women undergo this type of mutilation.
Category three: (Infibulation): Is one of the most severe forms of FGM in Nigeria and Africa.
Its procedure involves clitoridectomy, which is the removal of all or part of the clitoris, excision of all or part of the labia minora and cutting of the adjacent medial part of the labia majora to create raw surface, with or without the stitching of the vagina.
Category 4: (Unclassified): According to WHO, Type 4, FGM include cuts, pricking, piercing or incision of the clitoris and labia; stretching of the clitoris and labia; cauterisation by burning of the clitoris and the surrounding tissues; scraping and cutting of the vagina.
Both forms are followed by the introduction of herbs or corrosive substances into the vagina to cause bleeding, tighten or to contract the vagina.
Situation report of FGC in Nigeria: FGC is widespread in Nigeria. Some sociocultural factors have been identified as determinants of this avoidable practice. Female genital mutilation is deeply rooted in the Nigerian society where critical decision makers are grandmothers, mothers, women, foster carers, opinion leaders, men and age groups representatives.
FGM is an extreme example of discrimination based on sex. Apparently, is a tool used to control women’s sexuality. The practice is closely associated with girl child’s certified level of marriageability.
Mothers and fathers choose to subject their daughters to the escapade of protecting them from being ostracised, beaten, shamed, or disgraced from the community. Sanctions under this hideous act is more severe such that; failure to succumbed attracts unpardonable punishment of losing their age right position in the community. Such families are being ex-communicated from the community and treated as an outcast in the public space.
FGM was traditionally known to be the specialisation of traditional leaders, traditional birth attendants or members of the community known for the commerce. However, there is a strategic compromise practice of introducing medical definitions and descriptions to previously nonmedical issue by modern health practitioners and community health workers on the trade.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is strongly against this medicalisation and has advised that, on no account should FGM be institutionalized nor any form of FGM be performed by any health professional under any pretence.
Therefore, join the crew and resist the aged long violence against women and girl child in Nigeria.
Dr. Okoebor writes from Goodna – Queensland, Australia.
