Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has expressed the need to intensify advocacy efforts to eliminate the harmful practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
Mrs Tinubu spoke Tuesday in Abuja at the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the elimination of Female Genital Mutilation, FGM with the theme, Delivering the global promise.
Her words: “We need to empower survivors by providing comprehensive medical, legal, and psychological services to help them regain their dignity.
“We should foster partnerships by engaging with women groups, form alliances with young people, civil society, faith based organisations, and the government”.
According to her, the collaboration will help mobilize resources, share best practices, and create sustainable movement against gender-based violence and Female Genital Mutilation.
The First Lady who frowned at the practice, saying it was totally unacceptable, added “it not only affects the survivors physically, emotionally and psychologically but also over time, these adverse effects diminish their overall well-being, restrict their opportunities to exercise their rights, and hinder the realization of their full potential.
“Change begins with each of us. Our actions, no matter how small, have the potential to create a ripple effect of transformation in our communities towards a future free from Female Genital Mutilation.
“In my capacity as the First Lady, I make a commitment today to lend my support in delivering the global promise to end Female Genital Mutilation,” Mrs Tinubu said.
Earlier in his remarks at the event which had participants from over 12 countries in attendance, Vice President Kashim Shettima disclosed that the Federal Government has commenced putting together policies and programmes that would ensure the harmful practice is totally eliminated.
Represented by his SSA on Health, Uju Rochas, the Vice President noted that the government is looking towards improving on the education of the girl child so she can make more informed choices about her health.
One of the highlights of the event was the spoken words by a survivor who captured in her presentation, the long reaching negative effects of FGM on the psyche of the survivor.
The annual technical consultation of the UNFPA-UNICEF is a platform for exchanging lessons, achievements and challenges faced in the implementation of the programme.
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
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