By Enyinna Omoke, Abakaliki
The Wife of the Ebonyi State Governor and Founder of the Better Health for Rural Women, Children and Internally Displaced Persons Foundation (BERWO), Chief Mrs. Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, has reaffirmed her commitment to eradicating Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the state, declaring that the harmful practice has no medical benefit and warning that perpetrators will face stiff sanctions.
Mrs. Nwifuru made the declaration at the Ebonyi State Women’s Leadership Summit on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation, organised by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration with the BERWO Foundation at the Women Development Centre, Abakaliki.
The summit attracted wives of traditional rulers, women religious leaders, civil society organisations, FGM survivors and other critical stakeholders committed to ending the practice.
Addressing participants, the First Lady described FGM as a harmful and outdated cultural practice that inflicts severe pain, emotional trauma and lifelong health complications on girls and women. She said the state government, through the BERWO Foundation, would intensify public enlightenment campaigns while ensuring that offenders are prosecuted to serve as a deterrent.
“We are going to create awareness across the state. All the local government chairpersons will produce jingles in their local dialects and disseminate them through social media, while awareness campaigns will be taken to rural communities, schools, churches, markets and other public places. I will also continue to educate the public through radio programmes on the dangers of FGM. After these sensitisation efforts, anyone found engaging in the practice will face the consequences, and I will hold the relevant local government chairpersons accountable,” she said.
Mrs. Nwifuru urged traditional rulers and their wives, religious and community leaders, as well as chairpersons of the thirteen local government areas, to intensify advocacy against FGM to ensure its complete eradication.
She also appealed to members of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly to strengthen legislative and community-based advocacy against the practice, stressing that every girl deserves to grow up in a safe environment free from harmful traditional practices.
“Together, we are working to ensure that every girl child and every woman lives a healthier and safer life. We cannot continue to tolerate practices that endanger the lives and future of our daughters. I urge all leaders present to promote the dignity and rights of the girl child. I remain committed to initiatives that advance the welfare, education and protection of women and girls,” she added.
In his goodwill message, the World Health Organization (WHO) representative, Mr. Douglas Ogbueli, described FGM as a serious public health concern capable of causing lifelong physical and psychological trauma. He urged participants to sustain grassroots advocacy to eliminate the practice.
“Female genital mutilation can result in lifelong trauma. I encourage everyone here to take this message back to their communities so that together we can end this harmful practice,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the wives of traditional rulers, Ugoeze Chiamaka Ezzagu commended the First Lady for spearheading the campaign, noting that sustained sensitisation had helped keep her community free from the practice.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Felicia Nwankpuma, also lauded Mrs. Nwifuru’s unwavering commitment to protecting the rights of women and girls. She expressed confidence that participants would apply the knowledge gained at the summit to strengthen anti-FGM advocacy across the state.
Delivering a technical presentation, Consultant Gynaecologist, Prof. Johnson Obunna, described Female Genital Mutilation as medically unjustifiable and harmful. He disclosed that about 18 per cent of FGM procedures are still carried out by traditional birth attendants, nurses and midwives.
Ebonyi first lady intensifies campaign against female genital mutilation
