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The wife of the Kwara Governor, Prof. Olufolake AbdulRazaq, has described Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as a human rights violation that must be stopped.
AbdulRazaq stated this while in Ilorin on Thursday while embarking on a state-wide outreach as part of activities marking the 2025 International Day for Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation.
Represented by the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina El-Imam, the governor’s wife sought stakeholders’ cooperation to end the practice, which, she said, was still prevalent in Nigeria.
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She said the campaign, sponsored by her office, was to raise awareness of the dangers of FGM and female circumcision.
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This, she hoped, would improve the health, well-being, and empowerment of girls and women in Kwara.
FGM is a serious human rights issue that affects millions of girls and women worldwide, causing physical and emotional harm and death. She said;
The practice is still prevalent in some parts of Nigeria, including Kwara.
This outreach is, therefore, a crucial step towards ending FGM and promoting a safer and healthier future for girls and women in Kwara,
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Meanwhile, a resident, who identified herself as Iyaafin Olujide, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that FGM was forbidden in her culture. She added;
I am from a culture where FGM is forbidden; we do not cut female genitals.
I am also an advocate of ending FGM and I am happy this awareness is going on. I hope it continues because the act is barbaric,
NAN reports the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the state Commissioner for Women Affairs were present at the outreach.
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