The wife of Oyo Governor Mrs. Tamunominini Makinde has canvassed for the collective effort of stakeholders and community leaders toward ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the State.
She said the danger FGM posed to the health of women and girls across the State is enoumous, asking for an end to the practice..
Speaking in Ibadan at a programme at Oyo State Government House to celebrate this year’s “International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation”, Mrs. Makinde said: “FGM has adverse health and negative interpersonal consequences, it also belittles our women and girls, as stakeholders, let us engage community leaders, religious leaders and policymakers to create constructive policies that will promote positive change and fairness on FGM.
“Stakeholders should use their position to initiate conversation within the community to fight against the harmful practice of FGM.
“Women and girls do not need to go through complications, severe pains, excessive bleeding, genital tissue swelling, fever and others that are associated with FGM, nor do they need depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder or low self extreme as a result of FGM, let us say no to FGM.
“In Oyo State, we need a complete woman as a mother and wife, not a broken depressed woman, stakeholders and community leaders should encourage our people to speak up against FGM and change the harmful norms of FGM, let’s advocate for the well being of our women and girls, so, we can pave way for healthier women and save our childbirth.
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The Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Sefiu Oyebola, who spoke on behalf of traditional rulers at the event, said they would go back to their respective domains and enlighten their subjects on the dangers of FGM.
Some of the FGM survivors lamented that FGM has made them loss their marriages and turned them into single mothers due to lack of sweetness during sex, urging the government at all levels to implement policy that will put lasting solutions to it.