Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has called for increased collaboration among global stakeholders to strengthen efforts at ending female genital mutilation (FGM) and all other forms of gender-based violence.
Obaseki gave the charge in commemoration of International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, marked yearly by the United Nations and its sister agencies to create awareness on the dangers of the global menace.
The governor, who identified the practice as a severe violation of the rights of women and girls, noted that with accelerated advocacy and increased investment to end the menace, the Sustainable Development Goals target of eliminating FGM by 2030 could be achieved.
According to him, “As we join the rest of the world in commemoration of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, it is imperative that we restate the need to step up global actions to end this menace, as well as strengthen strategies and approaches to end what is today, one of the most inhuman acts of gender-based violence in the world.
“This heinous act, aimed at subduing women, is a painful damaging of the genitals and violates a person’s right to health, security and physical integrity. Urgent action and increased collaboration among global stakeholders is needed to end this violation, and stop the suffering of tens of millions of girls.”
“Governments at all levels, development partners and civil society organizations, among others must accelerate investment, exploring more innovative ways to bring this global menace to an end,” he added.
Reassuring that his government is committed to tackling the root causes of gender inequality and working for women’s social and economic empowerment, the governor said access to education, especially to the girl-child is a necessary tool in addressing the scourge.
He added, “This is why we have sustained investment in education, focusing on education and restoring the quality of the basic educational system. With our government’s basic education reform, which has now been extended to accommodate the secondary and tertiary schools, children in primary schools in Edo State today now learn three times more than they used to learn with the old pedagogue.”Obaseki, however, promised that his administration will continue to create an enabling environment for the girl-child to realise her fullest potential and occupy her rightful position in society.
