Male action Needed in Fight Against FGM

Reading the UNFPA statement on the International Day on Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), themed “The Role of Men and Boys in the Eradication of FGM/C” which was held at TANGO conference hall on Saturday, Mrs. Bintou Susso, the agency's programme officer in The Gambia said that the inclusion of men and boys in bringing about change in all aspects of promoting gender equality as well as accelerating the abandonment of FGM/C is necessary.

“We need the support and partnership from men and boys, without which we will be taking one step forward and several steps backwards,” says Mrs. Susso who affirmed her agency's recognition of the importance of engaging men and boys in sexual and reproductive health issues.

 

This is the reason, the agency said, that most of 2009 was spent on designing regional and global strategies and programmes towards effective participation of men and boys in protecting the human rights of women and girls among others things.

According to her, there is an urgent need for change of perception on the practice, which continues to ride on the wings of social and cultural perceptions, and bringing an estimated 120 to 140 million women under its sabre.

“Girls and their families will face shame, social exclusion and diminished marriage prospects if they forego cutting. These perceptions can and must change,” she said.

Speaking further, the UNFPA programme officer said that FGM/C poses immediate and remote risks to the health of women and girls while it violates their human rights.

She noted that decline in the number of FGM had been recorded in some communities, which had chosen to make public declarations against the practice, citing Senegal, where genital mutilation had declined by up to 65 per cent.

“Success in reducing the incidence in several countries where it was once highly prevalent has occurred as a result of culturally sensitive engagement with local communities and encouraging change from within,” she said, noting that the UNFPA in partnership with others have provided support for community-led abandonment programmes, which engage parliamentarians, media, traditional communicators, women lawyers, medical associations, religious leaders and scholars to speak against the practice.

According to her, the International Day against FGM/C provides an opportunity for people everywhere to redouble their efforts and end the harmful practice within a generation.

“UNICEF, UNFPA and its partners will continue to work for the achievement of this important goal, and to advance gender equality and improve sexual and reproductive health,” she said, noting that the agency has supported GAMCOTRAP, among other key stakeholders in using innovative approaches such as dropping of the knife in their efforts to accelerate the eradication of FGM/C within a generation which is also part of a regional initiative between UNFPA and UNICEF.

Also speaking at the event, Dr. Isatou Touray, executive director of GAMCOTRAP, who is also the secretary general of the Inter African Committee said 6 February of every year has been designated by the UN as International Day against Female Genital Mutilation.

 

The day which was unanimously adopted at the International Conference on Zero Tolerance to FGM organized by IAC from February 4 to 6, 2003 in Addis, Ethiopia, she noted, is to be observed to call international, regional, national and community attention to the efforts needed to free women and girls from the adverse tradition of female genital mutilation and to accelerate action towards its elimination.

According to Dr. Touray, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), which may refer to any practice that involves the partial or total removal or alteration of the external female genital organs for non-medical reasons, is a violation of the human rights principles, as stipulated in Article 24.3 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and other international and regional instruments

She said the Millennium Development Goals advocate for the promotion of Gender Equality and Empowerment of women, reduction of child mortality and improvement of maternal health.

 

“Female genital mutilation compromises the attainment of these goals. By a conservative estimate, about 2 million women and girls are subjected to FGM worldwide annually,” she said.

Dr. Touray further noted that the consequences of FGM cover a wide range of health issues among which are increased risks in maternal and reproductive health, child-birth complications, difficulties in menstruation and urinating, risk of contracting tetanus, infertility, HIV-AIDS and mental health issues.

“FGM has been recognized as violence against women and girls and coupled with other medical, social, psycho-sexual and economic consequences; the practice should not be allowed to continue under the guise of tradition or religion.

She then used the opportunity to thank all GAMCOTRAP's partners for their efforts in ensuring that the body achieves its aims.

February 6 is set aside to raise awareness among the general public about female genital mutilation. According to the United Nations, an estimated 130 million women and girls have been affected in 28 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East where female genital mutilation/cutting is performed.