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As part of efforts to ensure that the act of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), described as an archaic and unhealthy practice is eradicated due to the endangers it causes to victims, Law Enforcement Officers were taken through a capacity building workshop to broaden their knowledge on the hazards associated with FGM and the position of the law.
The capacity building workshop which held in Ibadan was organised by Hacey Health Initiative through its Stop Cut project on Female Genital Mutilation.
Speaking on the need to train law officers on FGM, the Oyo state coordinator for the Initiative, Abayomi Olukunle, said bringing all relevant stakeholders towards actualising the end of Female Genital Mutilation necessitated the workshop.
He further explained that female circumcision is pure violence towards the gender, noting that the consequences of the practice are very detrimental to its victims.
He noted that for the advocacy of female genital mutilation to be brought to fruition, there must be good synergy between the police and other law enforcement agencies as well as the community.
The coordinator added that ending female circumcision is divided into law and implementation of the law, adding that in the implementation of the law, the police have to be involved.
According to him, “Sometimes, what we often experience is that the law enforcer doesn`t even know what the constitution says and when you don`t know what the constitution says, it is a major problem because you can`t give what you don`t have.
“That is why we brought them together here and those participating includes the Nigerian Police Force, the NSCDC and Amotekun, we want to build their capacity and let them know the law that is currently operating in the land, like the child right law and the VAPP Act because it is a fact that these are instrument they can use to prosecute any offender,” he said.
He emphasised that there are dangers inherent in the practice of female genital mutilation, noting that it is a crime against the victim as the victims have been devalued and that there are other dangers which may come up immediately or emanate in the future.
The health initiative coordinator further submitted that the government have been supportive in the fight against female genital mutilation in times past but pleaded with government at all levels to do more in actualising the dream of eradicating Female Genital Mutilation in totality.
The workshop appealed to community leaders to work with law enforcement agencies and desist from encouraging persons who violate girls’ rights by shielding them from arrest and prosecution.
They said it is time for everyone to realise that any attempt or violation against any female is a punishable offence under the Child Rights Law of 2006 and the Violence Against Person’s Prohibition Law of 2020.
They condemned the continuous act in various community especially continuous attempts to frustrate the process of justice.
They stated that FGM will no longer be allowed and the culture of silence must be stopped so that perpetrators will not continue to go unpunished.
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