Aisha Buhari Affirms Support for Eradication of Female Genital Mutilation

aisha buhari

Wife of the president, Mrs. Aisha Buhari has expressed her support towards efforts made by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) to end Female Genital Mutilation and Circumcision (FGM/C) in Nigeria. She also on Tuesday launched the national response to eliminate the practice in Abuja.

“I also urge the wives of governors, particularly those from states where this harmful practice is rampant, to be the voice of the campaign to end FGM/C in their various states.

“We are mothers and women and have the primary role to use our privileged positions to make lives better for Nigerians, especially women and girls. I urge you to be vocal on the need for FGM/C to end in Nigeria and take action that will enable this to happen.” she said.

According to the Nigeria’s  National Demographic Health Survey 2013, it was revealed that 25 percent of women in Nigeria have undergone the practise.

 The UNFPA and UNICEF jointly noted: “Although the practice is slowly declining. Among the myths that still perpetuate the practice are ideas that FGM/C prevents young women from becoming promiscuous or that it is beneficial for the health of her children.

In fact, it exposes girls and women to severe and sometimes life-threatening health complications, including hemorrhage, tetanus, sepsis, urine retention, sexual dysfunction and infertility; women who have undergone FGM/C are twice as likely to die during childbirth, and their babies are more likely to during or just after birth.”

Statistics say it is widely practised in Nigeria, where an estimated 19.9 million Nigerian women have undergone the procedure.

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