By Hassanat Adebowale
Child rights advocates and members of the Child Protection Network Nigeria (CPN), Oyo State chapter, have called on stakeholders and governments to put an end to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Nigeria. The appeal was made during interviews on the observance of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM.
The day is observed annually on Feb. 6, with this year’s theme being “Stepping Up the Pace: Strengthening Alliances and Building Movements to End FGM.”
Dr. Rosemary Odigbo, Coordinator for CPN in Oyo State and Executive Director of Jesus Children Missions Outreach, highlighted the severe human rights violation that FGM represents. She pointed out that over 230 million girls and women worldwide are affected by FGM, with nearly 4.4 million girls at risk in 2025 alone.
“CPN advises the government to enforce existing anti-FGM laws and prosecute offenders. Stakeholders should strengthen advocacy, sensitization, and community engagement to raise awareness,” Odigbo said. She also urged traditional and religious leaders to reject harmful cultural norms and families to protect their children by abandoning FGM practices. “Collective action and sustained education are key to ending FGM,” she added.
Dr. Dare Olagoke-Adaramoye, another advocate against FGM, emphasized the health risks associated with the practice. He noted that women who undergo FGM face higher maternal and neonatal mortality rates. “The procedure is often performed without anesthesia, causing extreme pain and psychological distress, along with excessive bleeding and infections,” he said. Olagoke-Adaramoye also mentioned the increased risks of prolonged labor, stillbirths, and postpartum hemorrhage, which endanger both mother and baby. He urged governments to enforce strict penalties for perpetrators and strengthen child protection laws.
Olagoke-Adaramoye also stressed the need for medical care, counseling, and rehabilitation programs to help survivors heal and reintegrate. “Enhancing access to education, vocational training, and economic opportunities to reduce vulnerability is paramount. Governments and all stakeholders must work together to end this harmful practice,” he said.
Mrs. Ibukunoluwa Otesile, Executive Director of HOSEC Foundation, called on parents, guardians, and communities to protect girls against FGM. “Advocacy and sensitization are key to raising awareness, especially at the grassroots level. We seek increased support for these initiatives to help eliminate harmful cultural beliefs that sustain FGM. Ending FGM requires collective action,” she stated. Otesile affirmed CPN’s commitment to working with stakeholders to enforce policies and drive community-led efforts towards eradicating FGM.
Similarly, Mrs. Airat Ogungbenro, the Federation of Muslim Women Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) Oyo State FGM Project Coordinator, reiterated that FGM remains a harmful practice that must end. She described FGM as including all procedures involving partial or total removal of external female genitalia or any other injury to female genital organs for non-medical reasons. “It has no health benefits but causes severe harm to girls and women, leading to complications. We must unite to advocate for the complete abandonment of this harmful practice,” Ogungbenro said.
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