Campaign to end FGM gains momentum as Nigeria is ranked third highest globally in the practice after India and Bangladesh.

Wednesday, October 1, 2025 - The campaign to end Female Gen­ital Mutilation (FGM) in Nigeria has gained renewed momentum in Benin City, with experts as­serting that protecting girls from this harmful practice is both an urgent act of genuine love and crucial national duty.

The experts emphasised that by doing so, society secures the future, health, and dignity of girls, rather than inflicting ir­reversible harm.

They lamented that some families still subject their daughters to FGM, mistakenly believing it to be an expres­sion of love.

The experts spoke during a two-day media dialogue on the dangers of the FGM which was convened by UNICEF which attracted experts, advocates and journalists.

The conversation, which drew voices from across the field, came with a strong appeal that many may not expect: men must step up and take responsibility in the fight.

They stressed that it is the society’s urgent responsibility to educate and demonstrate that’s genuine love lies in protecting a girl’s future, ensuring her health and dignity rather than causing irreversible harm.

One if the experts, Dennis Onoise, Child Protection Specialist with UNICEF Lagos, warned that the country holds the unenviable position of being the third highest globally in the practice, after In­dia and Bangladesh.

According to him, FGM is often mis­understood as merely cutting, but the re­ality is more damaging. “Even applying substances like Vaseline to a baby girl’s clitoris over time can permanently dam­age her body,” he explained.

He noted that many of the justifica­tions for the practice are rooted in myths rather than genuine culture, citing the false belief that it prevents promiscuity. “If that were true, we wouldn’t find sur­vivors among commercial sex workers,” he said.

Beyond the myths, Onoise reminded the gathering of the severe health risks that survivors live with, ranging from dif­ficulties with urination to complications in marriage, pregnancy and childbirth, all of which leave permanent scars both physically and emotionally.

FGM consultant, Mrs. Aderonke Olu­tayo, lamented that despite the existence of laws such as the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, there has been no formal report of FGM in most South-West states since 2014, even though evidence shows the practice persists.

She attributed this silence to fear of reprisals, stigma, weak links between communities and law enforcement, and poor awareness of legal protections.

According to her, many families do not even know that cutting a girl is a punishable offence. She warned that this silence emboldens perpetrators, including some health workers who secretly perform FGM under the guise of safety.

Olutayo further drew attention to the absence of men in FGM interven­tions, despite their position as key deci­sion-makers in families and communi­ties. “This exclusion is dangerous,” she noted. “When men are not informed, they can unknowingly reinforce harmful tra­ditions. But when engaged, they can be­come the strongest allies for change.” The reality, she stressed, is that fathers and male relatives often have the final say on whether a girl is cut, yet few programmes deliberately target them.

The dialogue also spotlighted the plight of survivors, many of whom suffer in silence. Shame and denial, according to the experts, keep them from seeking help. Participants stressed the need to create safe spaces where survivors can be supported and healed, instead of stig­matised.

Speakers at the dialogue agreed on the urgent need for wider awareness campaigns in local languages, confi­dential reporting channels to protect whistleblowers, and better training for health workers to resist and report pres­sure to perform the practice. Above all, they called for the direct involvement of men and boys as advocates in homes, schools, places of worship and the wider community.

“Just like families once believed tribal marks were necessary, one day FGM will be remembered as an outdated norm,” Onoise said.

The dialogue ended with a reminder that FGM is not only a women’s issue but a national duty. As Olutayo put it, “Fam­ilies often cut their daughters believing it is an act of love. It is our job to show them that true love means protecting a girl’s future, not harming it.”

Obviously, the challenge is that Nige­ria will end FGM when not only men re­fuse to remain bystanders, but the society sees the task as a national duty to girls and women.