Chief Nwibo George, traditional prime minister, Nkaleke Echera Unuhu in Ebonyi Local Government area of Ebonyi state Southeast Nigeria Sunday said the human-oriented programs of UNICEF in fighting Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) have led to total abandonment of the practice by his people.
Chief Nwibo who spoke to journalists during the Unicef field mission on zero tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation in his Nkaleke Echera Unuhu palace alongside other stakeholders from the area said that the sensitization on FGM has made the people voluntarily reject the practice having realized the negative health implications on women and girls.
Correspondent reports that” UNICEF and other development agencies including UNFPA, BCA Umuahia has worked assiduously to end genital cutting in Ebonyi and other states of the federation” thus the reason for the field mission to ascertain the true situation in the rural areas.
According to the traditional prime minister, Unicef with other partners has done a lot. And because Ebonyi local government is at the heart of the town people are no longer practicing fgm having been sensitized.
He said other measures were also introduced to achieve the goal such as the establishment of community champions.
“And we have champions that are helping to ensure that fgm is eliminated. They visit health centers monitor newborns and take records of female newborns for further checks in their homes.
“And Ebonyi state house of assembly has passed the bill on fgm and other harmful practices ( VAAP LAW) and there are also community by-laws on fgm. If you are caught in fgm act you will be ostracized from the community. chief Nwibo said.
“We also have jingles in local languages which helps to get the rural populace informed on the dangers of fgm and the existing laws. We tell them, Ebi-kwa-Ebi, Ebu-kwa-Ebu. Haghia ka o di chi si kee.
“Also because of those FGM champions some of them are school teachers, they now put it into the school curriculum to teach the pupils that if their parents want to take them for cutting they should report them.
“That is the situation in the Ebonyi council area. Sensitization on fgm abandonment has gone far. Everybody is now aware of it.
“Kudos to unicef and other local partners for saving our women and children from mutilation/cutting.
Ugoeze – Akamu Alo, and a woman leader in the area Mrs. Agatha Eze in their submission said our people have completely abandoned fgm practice and we are happy. We no longer record such cases in Echara Nkaleke.
The intervention from unicef did not end with fgm, it extended to other harmful practices and the women are happy with unicef.
The health implication is many so our people have rejected the practice.
A Youth from Amike aba community, Mr. Vincent- Mary on his part noted that the intervention from unicef yielded a positive result but the youths don’t want to take chances, therefore they are also the champions.
Vincent said it is no longer government affairs but the community because they wear the shoe and know where it pinches them. However, they report their observation to the wife of the governor.
He advocated that the existing laws on fgm should be strengthened by the government.
