Health: Taraba state Governor's Wife Agyin Kefas wants Female Genital Mutilation stopped in the society.

Wife of Taraba State Governor Agyin Kefas said creating environments where girls and women can thrive is a collective responsibility.

She state this during the International Day of Zero Tolerance against Female Genital Mutilation community enlightenment and sensitization outreach themed “protecting the girl child voice: her voice her future” which was held at the conference hall Sunkani Ardo Kola Local Government area.

Agyin Kefas explained that female genital mutilation also known female genital cutting in Nigeria involves procedures of altering or injuring the female genital for non-medical reasons and it is a violation of human rights, the health and integrity of girls and women.

The Governor’s wife stated that Girls who undergo FGM face short-term complications such as severe pain, shock, excessive bleeding, infections and difficulty in passing urine as well as long-term consequences for their sexual and reproductive health, mental health and death hence the need for the sensitisation outreach.

She added that it is a global concern which the World Health Organisation, WHO supports a holistic health sector response to Female genital mutilation prevention and care, by developing guidance and resources for health workers to prevent it and manage its complications.

The governor’s wife commended health workers, FIDA, the National Human Right Commission and the individuals who have raised their voices against Female Genital Mutilation by creating awareness in l local communities, especially to the aged women who are seen mostly to be its engineers in order to eradicate the act of FGM completely.

She expressed the support of the Agyin Kefas Care Trust Foundation in giving the girl child her voice and her future and to eradicate Genital mutilation in Taraba state.

Speaking,the chairman Ardo Kola Local government area Zakari Ismaila described the event as the culmination of the enormous efforts of excellency which began as one of her focus pet projects.

He thanked the governor’s wife for the people oriented initiative that will address a critical concern in the community.

He said In recent years there has been significant increase in female

genital mutilation across communties which has a barbaric and superstitious intent with adverse health consequences to the female reproductive system.

 

He assured the governor’s wife of their resolve to take the sensitization to the grassroots.

The keynote speaker, Barrister Shallom Maijankai defined female genital mutilation as female circumcision and said it is a practice that is often carried out on girls age zero to fifteen with adverse effects on their reproductive health.

She described female genital mutilation as a violation of the Rights of the girl to life, health, care, protection and to being free from all forms of torture.

Bar. Shallom Maijankai said that the Nigerian Government has passed a law criminalising Female genital mutilation under the Violence Against Persons Prohibition ACT twenty fifteen which has already been gazetted in the state by Governor Agbu Kefas.

She added that section eleven of the law states that anyone caught committing the crime is liable upon conviction to two years in prison and a one hundred thousand naira fine and any parent caught giving their female child to be circumcised would be imprisoned for a year with a fifty thousand naira fine.

She advised parents to allow their daughters enroll into school to enjoy the present Government free education initiative to become enlightened and self reliant.

In their goodwill messages, commissioner Women Affairs and Child Development Mary Sinjen and commissioner Social Justice and Re-integration, Filister Irarimam Musa appreciated the governor’s wife for the global movement to end female genital mutilation.

They said the International Day of Zero Tolerance on Female Genital Mutilation highlighted the crucial role women and girls must play in leading the fight against it and creating a future free from such a barbaric practice.