The governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, has emphasised the urgency of addressing the high rate of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Nigeria, which ranks third globally. He highlighted the significance of the recently enacted legislation, including the Violence Against Women Prohibition (VAPP) Act and the Gender Inclusion Bill, aimed at combating harmful and discriminatory practices against women and safeguarding their rights.
“Nigeria accounts for 10 percent, an estimated 19.9 million, of the 200 million girls and women affected by FGM worldwide,” revealed UNICEF Country Representative, Ms. Cristian Munduate, during the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation event organised by the wife of the Kwara State governor, Ambassador Olufolake AbdulRazaq, in Ilorin, the state capital, on February 6, 2024.
Munduate stressed Nigeria’s ranking as the third-highest country for FGM prevalence globally, with recent data indicating its persistence in Kwara State, where the practice affects 58 percent of women aged 15–49 and 35 percent of girls aged 0–14.
She underscored the imperative for collective action to comprehensively address FGM, highlighting UNICEF and UNFPA’s joint efforts in the largest global programme for FGM elimination, aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This year’s theme, “Her Voice, Her Future. Investing in Survivors-Led Movements to End Female Genital Mutilation,” emphasises the importance of survivor-led initiatives in eradicating the harmful practice.
In her address, Ambassador Olufolake AbdulRazaq called upon traditional and religious leaders to play a pivotal role in eliminating FGM, citing their influence as custodians of culture and tradition.
“As revered citizens, I commend our traditional and religious leaders for their support for government programmes and urge them to extend this support to our quest to end this practice,” she remarked.
Furthermore, she urged the media to disseminate relevant information effectively to discourage participation in FGM, reiterating the need for stakeholders to redouble efforts to achieve the global target of ending FGM by 2030.
“I commend UNICEF for this remarkable partnership and shared commitment towards ending all harmful practices that may hinder our women and girls from reaching their full potential,” she concluded.
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