First lady calls for campaign against female genital mutilation

The Wife of the President, Mrs
Aisha Buhari, has called on
relevant stakeholders to create
awareness on the health
implications of female genital
mutilation in the country.
Mrs Buhari was represented
by the wife of the Vice
President, Mrs Dolapo
Osinbajo, at the launch of
joint UNFPA/UNICEF to
support programme to
eliminate Female Genital
Mutilation (FGM) in the
country.
Aisha said that FGM was a
harmful practice that had
negative, social and
economic consequences in
the lives of the effected
women and girls.
"It is disheartening to note
that Nigeria has the highest
prevalence of FGM in the
continent."
It is a cultural practice which
does not have help or social
benefit to women, girls and
to the society at large.
She said it had not been
promoted by any religion as
no instrument of the two
religions had supported
FGM.
She called on Nigerians to
work toward an action that
would end FGM and any
tradition harmful to women
and children.
"Some actions of the Federal
Government and
development partners have
led to abandonment of the
FGM practice.
''These efforts are being
guarded by concert evidence
and data from research
effort by the government and
partners."
She commended the effort of
development partners,
international organisations
for their continued support to
end FGM and harmful
traditional practice.