Female genital mutilation must end – First Lady
First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo has called on stakeholders to as a
matter of urgency take a unified decision to put an end to female
genital mutilation.
Speaking at a two-day International meeting on Female Genital
Mutilation (FGM) which took place in Accra on Wednesday, November 15,
2017, Mrs. Akufo-Addo said: “take a unified decision that binds us to
take strong measures to eradicate this practice”
Mrs. Akufo-Addo, bemoaned the “terribly harmful” practice of FGM
stating that “the practice is so detrimental to the health, human rights
and development of our girls, that no argument should trump the
considerations of the rights and health of any girl”.
She noted that the practice has over the years exposed victims “to
severe pain, excessive bleeding, infections, psychological trauma and
obstetrical complications that may lead to fistula or maternal
mortality,”’ adding that “FGM could be a contributory factor to the high
maternal deaths in Africa.’’
The First Lady further added that although a variety of strategies
have been implemented to discourage the practice, much still remains to
be done due to the deeply held attitudes regarding FGM in some
societies.
She noted that government and stakeholders have to intensify
education on the harmful effects of FGM to help change attitudes,
improve access to information and resources for girls and women, provide
medical care and counseling for girls who have undergone FGM as well as
strictly apply legislation on FGM to ensure the practice is eradicated.
Present at the meeting was Madam Otiko Afisah Djaba, Minister of
Gender and Social Protection, Mabingue Ngom, UNFPA Regional Director,
Dr. Owen Laws Kaluwa, WHO Representative-Ghana and Dr Margaret Agama
-Anyetei, Head if Division Health, Population, and Nutrition, Department
of Social Affairs -AUC
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