Nollywood Actress Kate Henshaw has advocated for the cessation of the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) practice and strongly urged perpetrators to cease the act.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on
Saturday, Henshaw, a UNICEF champion, advocated for the cause.
The practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) is
recognized globally as a violation of the rights of girls and women.
It involves altering or injuring the female genitalia for
non-medical reasons.
As of 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated
that approximately 230 million girls and women worldwide have undergone some
form of female genital mutilation (FGM). Additionally, it is projected that
approximately 68 million girls are at risk of experiencing FGM between 2015 and
2030.
It”is important to note that Nigeria has the third highest
prevalence of FGM, accounting for approximately one-tenth of the 230 million
female FGM survivors worldwide. This places Nigeria as the country with the
highest burden of FGM in Africa.
The organization also noted a concerning trend in Nigeria
and many parts of Africa, where an increasing number of girls are subjected to
the practice at younger ages, with many experiencing it before their fifth
birthday.
Strongly condemning the practice, therefore, Henshaw said
“the act is not supported by science and has no medical or moral value attached
to it.”
She strongly advised women who perform the practice on
others to cease doing so and instead become advocates against it in order to
safeguard the well-being of women.
She emphasized that “the very women who carry out this
practice hold the power to put an end to it.
“Times have changed, we are in the 21st century, we cannot
be talking about practices that harm, but should be talking about things that
will add value to the female child.”
It Is crucial to maintain an ongoing dialogue regarding this
matter to ensure that all members of society are fully informed about the
progress made by advocates who have been diligently campaigning against this
practice.
Efforts have been made by various stakeholders to ensure the
complete eradication of FGM in Nigeria.
She advocated for increased efforts, particularly on the
domestic front, emphasizing the need to engage in conversations with women, as
they are at the forefront of these detrimental practices.
“Women are the gatekeepers to some of the harmful practices,
we have some for widowhood too, even domestic violence, child abuse is
sometimes perpetrated by women.
“So, we need to be more empathetic, give ourselves a chance,
give young girls a chance to grow, to have a life because there’s nothing to be
gained from FGM.
“We should always sound the alarm on anything that is
harmful to another human being,” she added.