One hundred and forty communities under Ife-Central, Ifelodun and Olaoluwa Local Government Areas of Osun State have publicly declared their decisions to abandon the age long practice of Female Genital Mutilation, FGM, in the various domains.

At separate ceremonies held at the secretariat of each local government, some of the communities that declared an end to FGM included, Oduduwa, Modomo, Seke, Dagbolu, Iwo Oke, Ile Ogo communities and its environs.

In a welcome address, Osun State Director, National Orientation agency, Prince Olalekan Adejobi who recalled the efforts put in place by NOA in partnership with UNICEF since 2016, said the success of the campaign against female genital mutilation in the affected communities was borne out of the relentless efforts of the NOA and UNICEF at ensuring the practice is totally eradicated in Osun State.

In 2016, NOA, Osun State Directorate with the support of UNICEF carried out socio-cultural mapping and geo-referencing FGM-prone communities in Osun State.

“This was carried out in order to get Geographic Information System, GIS, data for independent assessment and evidence-based on monitoring of activities” he said.

He further explained that the information gathered during the survey pave the way for mobilization and creation of sustainable platforms to conducting social norms and dialogue with a view to ending female genital mutilation in the state.

The Osun NOA boss appreciated the Osun State Ministry of Health and the tenacity and commitment of UNICEF, describing the international organization as an advocate for better life for children and women.

Reacting, the FGM Southwest coordinator, United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, Mrs Olutayo Aderonke said the phase II of the UNFPA/UNICEF joint programme on eliminating FGM commenced in 2014 in five states, namely Ebonyi, Ekiti, Imo, Osun, and Oyo States.

Mrs Olutayo said the joint programme also supported federal and state governments to adopt and strengthen legal framework prohibiting the practice and equip healthcare workers, with requisite skills to facilitate access of girls and women at risk and survivors of FGM to quality services.

She said UNICEF works alongside several stakeholders with national orientation agency, taking the lead in mobilizing, sensitizing and educating the community members in social norm changes, towards abandonment of FGM in various communities.

In separate responses, two monarchs, the Oluwo of Iwo Oke, Oba Kadiri Adeniran, Adeoye II, and Baale of Seke, Bakare Olapade Tiamiyu after receiving an open declaration of abandonment of FGM certificate said there was need for other communities to also join in publicly renouncing the practice.

Mosope Kehinde