The rising case of genital mutilation in Nigeria among girls between the ages of 0-14 has been described as a worrying trend.
According to the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the rates rose from 16.9 per cent in 2013 to 19.2 per cent in 2018 and following an estimated 19.9 million survivors, Nigeria has the highest number of women and girls who have undergone FGM in the world leaving her at the third position.
The information was made available by UNICEF representative, Peter Hawkins at the event to mark the 2022 International Day of Zero Tolerance of FGM on Sunday. Hawkins maintained that the practice is a violation of children’s rights. He went further to disclose that an estimated 86 per cent of females were cut before the ages of 5, while 8 per cent were cut between ages 5 and 14.
He also stated that daily, in the cause of being mutilated, millions of girls are being robbed of their childhoods, health, education and aspirations.
He also said that UNICEF is initiating a community-led movement to stop FGM in Nigerian states where the practice is prevalent.
Worldwide, FGM is recognized as a violation of the human rights of girls and women and it deeply reflects inequality between the sexes and is an extreme form of discrimination against girls and women.
