Thursday, May 30, 2019


               HOW FGM/C AFFECTS WOMEN AND GIRLS ECONOMIC GROWTH

Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) is defined as the process by which women gain the ability to make decisions not just for themselves, but also for others around them. Others here could include her immediate family, her friends, community members and the society at large. For a woman to be said to be economically empowered, she must have the ability to meet not just her own financial needs, but also the financial needs of others.

Sadly enough, in so many countries women and girls are not economically empowered. This is indeed sad because there are so many benefits to be gained, when women and girls are economically empowered. One of such benefits is that the family is better off. This is because women are naturally known to be more caring than men. When women are economically empowered, they naturally invest in their families than most men do. Also the society is better off no wonder a popular quote says “Empower a woman Empower a generation”.

Though there are so many reasons why women are not economically empowered, but one major reason which has not yet gained prominence is Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C). FGM/C is a practice which affects not just the health of every woman and girl child, but also her economic growth and development. In most climes, FGM/C serves as a precursor to the girl child early marriage. The girl child is mutilated and cut to keep her pure and chaste for any man who intends to marry her. This is majorly because of the misconception and myth that FGM/C generally curbs promiscuity. So an uncut girl is largely not wanted, because she is seen as not pure and chaste in the eyes of many men in the community.

After the girl child is mutilated or cut, then the next thing that the family does is to marry her off at a tender age usually between the ages of 10-16 years. When this happens, the education of such a girl is usually affected. She drops out of school to spend more time with her husband and also to take care of her children. It gets even worse when the husband tells her specifically never to think about going to school anymore. For such a girl that has dreams of maybe becoming a lawyer, doctor an entrepreneur etc she sees all these dreams fade away right before her eyes. This is because nobody would want to employ someone who is not educated.

In conclusion, it’s definitely high time we as end FGM activists and campaigners start looking at this area. This is because the impact that FGM/C has on the economic life of various women and girls is definitely so weighty.

Wednesday, May 22, 2019


THE IMPORTANCE OF USING YOUTH FRIENDLY APPROACHES TO ENDING FGM/C

Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting (FGM/C) is defined as the ritual cutting or removal of some or all of the external genitalia of a woman or girl. Globally, FGM/C is practiced in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and even in some parts of Europe. Globally, it is estimated that 200 million girls and women have undergone one form of FGM/C or the other. In Nigeria alone, it is estimated that 20 million women and girls have undergone one form of FGM/C or the other. This therefore represents 10% of the global total.

FGM/C poses serious physical and mental health risks for women and young girls. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) study, FGM/C can be likened to increased complications in childbirth and maternal death. Other side effects include severe pain, hemorrhage, tetanus, infections, infertility, cysts, urinary incontinence, psychological and sexual problems. FGM/C is also a fundamental Human Rights violation as it amounts to torture and also an inhuman practice. FGM/C also serves as a precursor to the girl child early marriage which has an effect on her education and also her chances of being gainfully employed in the future.
While there are so many approaches to ending FGM/C ranging from dialogue sessions, seminars, trainings, workshops, media, rallies, information, education and communication (IEC) campaigns etc. 

Various youth friendly approaches have greatly been neglected by various end FGM/C campaigners, activists, organizations etc. This is indeed shocking because there is a shared belief that youth are the ones to end FGM/C by 2030. If we are to achieve this, it is definitely high time, we start using various youth friendly approaches to increase the involvement of youth in this regard.

From the foregoing therefore, it is high time we start using various youth friendly approaches like sport, games, drama, art; music shows etc to take this end FGM/C message to youth. Youth are known to be energetic, vibrant and therefore need activities to put their energy into. In most of the activities, I have been involved in here in Nigeria; I have come across various youth who have confided in me that all these trainings, seminars were becoming so repetitive and boring to them. That it is high time, we start organizing various youth friendly activities for them. These words really made me to have a re-think and I said to myself that this is indeed one area, we as end FGM/C campaigners and organizations are getting it wrong.

In conclusion, I must not fail to commend some end FGM/C campaigners, organizations who are currently using various youth friendly approaches in their work to end FGM/C. But, a whole lot more are yet to start doing this. It is definitely high time, we start using various youth friendly approaches as a way to increase the involvement of youth in this our shared vision of ending FGM/C in our various communities of interventions. This is because; they are the ones to end FGM/C by 2030.