UNFPA Says Female Genital Mutilation Rate Reduced In Oyo

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on Thursday said that the prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM) has decreased in Imo, Ebonyi and Oyo States.

The Head of Office, UNFPA Sub-Office, Calabar, Mr Kenneth Ehouzou, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar.

Ehouzou said the considerable progress in the fight against female genital mutilation in women between the ages of 15 and 49 from 2011 to 2017 in the states they were working showed that the prevalence decreased from 34 to 22 per cent in Imo, 32.9 to 29.6 per cent in Oyo and from 6.4 to 5.2 per cent in Ebonyi.

“We have experienced considerable progress in the fight against female genital mutilation, there is a decrease in its prevalence in the states where we are working.

“We have to be very grateful to our champions like the Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, governors, wives of governors and other high level personalities, who have openly declared their positions against female genital mutilation,” he said.

According to the UNFPA boss, though, progress were being made in the fight to eliminate female genital mutilation, the major challenges Agency is facing was reaching more political actors and creating more awareness on its prevalence.

He said the decrease was due to intensive advocacy, follow up and constant information in the media by different organisations.

He said the greatest achievement of UNFPA was the passage of Nigeria’s comprehensive Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAP) act which had been domesticated in 14 states, while advocating for its domestication in the remaining states.

“We have experienced considerable progress in the fight against female genital mutilation, there is a decrease in its prevalence in the states where we are working.

(NAN)

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