Book Review
Title: Save the Girls: The Tragedy of Female Genital Mutilation
Author: Titilope Adefunke Laniran
Reviewer: Bamigbade Rachael
Publisher: OAK Initiative
Pagination: 100
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is an abuse, which some women have experienced right from a young age, and has been in existence for decades. This 2021 publication of OAK Initiative, the publishing arm of OAK Foundation, a charity organisation aimed at supporting indigent students, widows and the fatherless in Africa, offers the reader knowledge about the harms female genital mutilation cause females, asking society to take the bold step in saying no to FGM right from our homes, community and the world at large.
Titilope Adefunke Laniran’s “Save the Girls: The Tragedy of Female Genital Mutilation” is a 100-page publication with eight chapters, explaining what FGM is all about, the effects and solutions.
Chapter one titled “The practice of female genital mutilation” explains that genital mutilation includes any non-medical exercise to harm or injure any female genital organ by midwives and trained traditional specialists, among others, with the use of knives, scalpels, scissors etc. While the aim is to keep a female’s virginity in certain cultures, this act tends to affect them immediately and in the future. Those affected tend to suffer from haemorrhage, complications during childbirth, urine retention, acute infections, etc.
Chapter two, “The cultural dynamics of female genital mutilation”, dwells on the interpretation of FGM as human right violation, gender inequality, gender discrimination, etc. United Nations (UN) law declares that FGM done for female below 16 years is termed as child abuse and are punishable under criminal law.
Chapter three, “Health consequences of FGM”, deals with consequences of FGM: Short term consequences: intense pains, acute infections, tetanus, septicemia, excessive bleeding, etc. Long term consequences are inclusion cyst, vesicovaginal fistula, psychological effects, risk of HIV etc.
Chapter four, “Saving the girl child: FGM and the law”, concentrates on the interpretation of FGM as a human right violation and examples of laws to combat FGM, like: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), The Invention on the Rights of the Child (1990), The Declaration on Violence against Women (1993), and The Platform of Action of the Fourth World Conference on Women (1995).
Chapter five, “Practical steps to protect the girl-child”, highlights steps to prevent FGM including girl-child education, female empowerment, awareness campaigns and activism. Actors like government and non-governmental organisations, secular and religious leaders, health care providers are responsible to challenge FGM. About 20 million women and girls have been subjected to FGM in Nigeria. Globally, 200 million were mutilated. Nigeria covers 10% of this number. A UN brief states that 20% of women in Nigeria from 15 to 49 years have undergone FGM.
Chapter six, “Female genital mutilation in Nigeria”, says in some cultures in Nigeria, it’s expected that women must experience FGM so that their men can consider them eligible for marriage since it promotes a patriarchal system, it’s considered cultural/religious obligation, etc. Penalties for it include 2-4 years imprisonment or payment of some amount of money close to N100,000.
Chapter seven, “Providing care for FGM victims”, deals with determining the level of complications the victims are having and the best step to take in caring for them. There’s a need to prepare the client and also ensure confidentiality and privacy so that they can feel secure.
Chapter eight, “The current and future impacts of Activism against FGM”, indicates that FGM must be core to post-COVID-19 budgeting, planning, and conversation. Grassroots civil society organisations have the local networks and knowledge to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and create essential and timely responses to the regeneration of FGM.
Titilope Adefunke Laniran’s Save the Girls: The Tragedy of Female Genital Mutilation helps to showcase the danger in what is referred to as good by our forefathers, which is still in existence today. The book also helps to enlighten people from all walks of life, both old and young to take action in fighting FGM. It is recommended for everyone, including the youths, to protect themselves from harmful cultures and beliefs, all in the name of preparing them for their husbands.