The Wife of the Oyo State Governor, Engr. (Mrs.) Tamunominini Makinde has called on all stakeholders across the State to take a stand to say no to the vicious act of Female Genital Mutilation and support the well-being of women.
Mrs. Makinde made this call today in commemoration of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation with the theme tagged “No Time for Global Inaction: Unite, Fund, and Act to End Female Genital Mutilation held at the Presidential Lodge, Government House, Agodi, Ibadan.
According to the First Lady, “I hope there are communities that can assist a girl and woman to achieve their full potential through education and empowerment program”
She said FGM can be defined as procedures involving the partial or total removal of the female external genital organs or another injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons, adding that it is not right to use whatever instrument such as blade, knife, razor, snail and any sharp object to cut off female organs.
Mrs. Makinde hinted that World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated about 200 women alive have been through this painful process of FGM. It is recognized internationally as a violation of human rights, health, and the integrity of girls and women as well as an obstacle to gender inequality.
She explained that FGM has caused a lot of physical, emotional, and mental torture to our girls and women across the globe. The most dangerous thing is their physical health which can be categorized into immediate and long-term complications.
The immediate complications several pain, excessive bleeding, genital tissue is swollen, keloid, fever, urinary infection, shock, and even death while long term effect includes female reproductive system breakdown, menstrual difficulty, sexual problem, lack of relationship satisfaction and increase in childbirth complication as well as depression, anxiety, traumatic, stress, disorder, and low esteem.
Mrs. Makinde stressed that “it is needless to allow our young girls to be subjected to any of these said negative health interpersonal consequences, instead increase the empowerment of the girl child and women through investment in education and economic empowerment can improve their overall well being for their family, the State and the world at large”.
She, therefore, implored the organizations, governmental, non-governmental, religious, customary level to join hand and support this course of zero-tolerance against FGM with all the necessary resources.
Mrs. Makinde, therefore, commended the present administration under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde for the support to eliminate FGM in the State through a concerted effort of enlightenment and advocacy.
Earlier in her presentation, the State FGM Coordinator, Mrs. Balikis Olawoyin revealed that the prevalence of FGM in Oyo State was carried out in 2013 and 2018, Oyo State takes 3rd and 5th position respectively and Oyo State was set to have 31.1% among the women of 15-49 years.
Some dignitaries at the event Deputy Governor’s Wife; Prof. Amudalat Bolanle Olaniyan, Secretary to the State Government; Mrs. Olubanwo Adeosun, Head of Service; Mrs. Ololade Agboola, Commissioner for Women Affairs & Social Inclusion; Alhaja Faosat Sanni, Commissioner for Special Duties; Hon. (Mrs.) Olufunmilayo Orisadeyi,
Commissioner for Health; Dr. B.V.A. Bello,
Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora; Mrs. Bolanle Sarumi, Iyaloja of Oyo State; Chief (Mrs.) Tina Ogundoyin,
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs; Mrs. Christiana Abioye, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health; Dr. Adebisi Ayoola, Executive Secretary, Primary Health Care Board; Dr. Olatunji,
Directors from the Ministry of Women Affairs and Health, Facilitators, various Association and Organization and among others