NGO EQUIPS OSUN TEENAGERS ON FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION.

A woman right organization known as Society for Life Changers and Good Parental Care (SoLife) has equipped Osun teenagers who are of school age with adequate information on Female Genital Mutilation, with a view of making them Ambassadors on Zero tolerance to FGM practice.

The sensitization was made possible at the commemoration of International Day of Zero tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation, themed “Unleashing Youth Power”, organized by SoLife in collaboration with Positive Action for Girls and Women, UK, held at Omilas Continental, Osogbo.

The Guest Lecturer for the program, the General Manager Osun Ambulance Services, Dr Olusegun Babatunde while delivering the lecture informed the teenagers, who were secondary school students that Female Genital Mutilation is a harmful procedure practice of partial or total removal of the female external genitalia against the consent of the victim, with short and long term health consequences.

Dr Babatunde who was represented by Dr. Mrs. Asiat Olaoye-Badmus of Light Hospital said research shows that from worldwide statistic of 140 billion population, an average of four girl-child is mutilated every minute, added that 52 percent of Female Genital Mutilation is practiced in Nigeria, and Osun has 41 percent of the prevalent rate.

The Doctor stated that there is no justification and no definite evidence on how and why Female Genital Mutilation begin, that it is often done on its victim during infancy, childhood, teenage/puberty year, at marriageable age or during pregnancy with its category of clitoridectomy, excision, infibulation and others such as tattooing, pricking, burning or cauterization among others.

The medical practitioner maintained that Female Genital Mutilation is unhygienic, superstitious and has lots of health complications, that there’s legal sanction for anyone violating the act, though its reducing, but more sensitization is needed on the campaign against the practice aimed at ensuring zero tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation.

In his welcome address, the Executive Director and Chairman BOT Society for Life Changers and Good Parental Care (SoLife), Mr Aremu Stephen Akinyele highlighted that Osun state is one of the states with prevalent rate on Female Genital Mutilation, and SoLife being a woman right organization took it upon itself to fight the existence of FGM in the state by taking the sensitization to all, to make sure that brutalization of the girl child external genital is stopped. 

He appreciated the support of Positive Action for Girls and Women UK, and the government, charged the selected students to stand up and sensitize others at their locations, on 

End- Female Genital Mutilation, FGM against the girl child and women in Osun.

Earlier in his goodwill message, representative of Director School, Osun Ministry of Education, Mr. Ayodele Abulude commended Society for Life Changers and Good Parental Care for caring for young people, the poor and marginalized in Osun with a view to achieving a healthy and developed society. He also added that knowledge is power and with rapid development in this modern time, it is important to empower the teeming teenagers with necessary awareness on happenings around them as stakeholders, particularly on Female Genital Mutilation.

Also, Mrs Oyedola Kadijat, a teacher with one of the Schools for Special Needs said Female Genital Mutilation does not only affect the physical, but also the physically challenged, adding that the Persons with Disabilities suffers more from withheld information, because of their status, and she further added that sensitization crusade should be made available to Parents in the society on stopping Female Genital Mutilation against the Girl Child.