FGM: A Clarion Call To Ending Crime Against The Female Gender

As the world marked the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) 2023, a call has gone out to parents and guardians to put an end to the practice.

This is as it was noted that the practice is harmful and exposes the girl child to long-term emotional and permanent damage.

Speaking in an interview in Osogbo on Tuesday, Dr Olakunle Omoteemi argued that the practice is steeped in African traditional beliefs and myths.

He added that juxtaposed with modern scientific findings, the myth surrounding FGM has been out to pay finally.

"The main reason why our people practised FGM was to keep the woman chaste in her husband's house.

"Another myth is also that in those days, people considered it taboo for a baby's head to touch the mother's clitoris during childbirth.

"Also, it was taboo in those days for a woman to express her sexuality before and after marriage.

"Such acts attracted stiff penalties which included payment of heavy fines by the parents of the husband of the girl or banishment or ostracisation on the part of the family of the victim.

"Unlike male circumcision which is both healthy and done as a type of social recognition for the boy child, female circumcision was meant to put the girl child under the man."

While kicking against the myths as not scientifically tenable, the physician stated that FGM is a crime against the female gender and cutting off the female clitoris is also an act of depriving the girl child of a means of expressing herself and choice.

"What those people involved in FGM don't know is that what they fear ends up coming to pass.

"They cut off the clitoris, the female sexual organ in order to prevent female promiscuity but end up creating a more promiscuous woman.

"By the time you cut off what makes a woman enjoy sexual intercourse, the woman may ignorantly think that a man can't satisfy her sexually and in order to get satisfaction, she ends up going from one man to the other."

The theme for the year 2023 celebration is 'Partnership with men and boys to transform social and gender norms to end FGM'.

The programme is usually a joint program by UNFPA-UNICEF to eliminate Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) globally most especially in Africa and it is marked annually on February 6.