Traditional Rulers Back Campaign Against Harmful Traditional Practices

Traditional rulers have reiterated commitment to stopping Female Genital Mutilation in their communities.

The traditional rulers of Umu Oba Anam Igwe George Ekwealor and his Ukwalla Counterpart Igwe Joseph Ajodo from Anambra East and West Local Government Areas respectively, made their feelings known in a one-day awareness campaign to end Harmful Traditional practices and female Genital Mutilation held at conference Hall, Government House Awka.

The traditional rulers assured of their preparedness in ensuring that there is zero tolerance to harmful traditional practices and female Genital Mutilation in their Communities.

The traditional rulers promised that they will evaluate Local customs and practices in their communities regarding harmful traditional practices like Female genital mutilation that are unhealthy to development and violates human rights.

They promised to promote campaign against such harmful traditional practices using grassroots mobilization of Umu Ada, opinion leaders, Clan heads and Presidents General to address the ugly development.

Traditional rulers who condemned the acts in its entirety hinted that female genital circumcision can cause death or health problems as well as severe pains.

In their separate speeches, the state coordinator Rule of law and Anti-corruption programmes, Mrs Josephine Onah and Mrs loveth Onyendilefu explained that female Genital circumcision is a procedure performed on woman or girls to alter or injure her genital for non-medical reasons and performed without amnestic under septic condition by the practitioner with little or no knowledge of human anatomy or medicine.

They consider the practice of female Genital circumcision as detrimental to woman health and wellbeing while others consider it as a ritualized form of child abuse and violence against women, as well as a violation of human right.