Hajia Nadia Abaas IV

Advocacy is a powerful tool that can be used to cause positive change in society by putting poli¬cy makers on their toes to discharge their duties satisfactorily.

Over the years, many advocates have used their voices to expose the rot in society and in the process saved thousands of lives.

In this same way, advocates for women and girls protection in Ghana can help fight Female Genital Mutila¬tion (FGM) to protect young girls from the devastating implication of the practice.

FGM, the practice of altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons, is a deeply-root-ed cultural practice that continues to haunt many regions across Africa.

Despite efforts to eradicate the menace from Ghana, recent reports have revealed that young girls are taken to nearby countries like Burki¬na Faso to undergo the inhumane act before they are brought back to their respective families.
This calls for firmer action to be taken against this cross-border act to save victims.
It is good to know that the laws against the practice of FGM are well enforced, however if the purpose for the enforcement were not achieved, the whole motive of fighting FGM to protect our young girls will be lost.
Dealing with this danger of cross-border FGM would require wom¬en centered Non-Governmental Organ-isations (NGOs), advocates for girls’ protection, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and all well-meaning Ghanaians and Africans at large, to rise up and speak against the practice.
Speaking exclusively to The Spec¬tator, women empowerment advo¬cate, Hajia Nadia Abbas (IV) bemoaned the implication of such practices on young girls, and called on governments and international organisations to collaborate to create awareness pro¬grammes in affected regions.
According to her, cross-border collaboration among countries that encourage FGM was crucial, adding that governments must work together to exchange information, coordinate action and harmonise legislation to en¬sure that culprits do not escape legal consequences.
She indicated that religious and traditional leaders must also come out in their numbers to discourage actions that harm girls.
“We must call for the participation of all well-meaning members of the public in speaking against all forms of violence against humanity, includ¬ing this dangerous practice that is a human right violation.”
“I strongly believe that when everybody becomes an advocate for positive change, good results can be realised quickly,” she added.
Furtherance to that, she noted that men could join in the advocacy for the rights of women and work towards gender equity.
Hajia Nadia Abbas (IV) confirmed that she heard stories of young girls who were taken out of the country to neighbouring countries for them to un¬dergo FGM mainly because the police in those areas were on the look-out for culprits for such ill practices.
Advocates for women and girls’ rights stated that the fact that FGM had become a thing of the past in Ghana, did not mean authorities should relax; “We must be alert and arrest persons seen forcing girls out of the country for the barbaric act to be carried out on them. We must ensure we join forces with all our neighbour¬ing countries to put a permanent stop to this menace.”
Hajia Nadia Abbas (IV) who is also the Founder of Nadisco Foundation, a women centered NGO indicated that, when young girls are made aware about the severe health implication of FGM, which include urinary problems, complications during child birth and even death, they would stand up for themselves and report family mem¬bers who threaten to force them to undergo FGM.
MEN MUST JOIN THE FIGHT TO END FGM
On the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM which was marked in February 2023, the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) called for partnership with men to join the fight against FGM.
When men join the fight against practices that affect women negative¬ly, success would be easily achieved, leading to an understanding that women and young girls also deserve to be respected and cherished.
By joining the fight against FGM, men demonstrate their commitment to their loved ones. Men can also challenge these harmful norms and attitudes by openly opposing FGM and promoting alternative practices that respect and uphold the rights of wom¬en and girls.
UNFPA’S REPORT ON FGM
The UNFPA has estimated that more than 200 million girls and women globally have undergone some form of FGM.
It also estimates 68 million girls are at risk of being mutilated be¬tween 2015 and 2030. A more recent study further revealed an additional two million girls to be at risk of this harmful practice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Further projections by the UNFPA showed that 4.3 million girls, world¬wide, this year remain at risk of FGM.
According to the UNFPA, this number is likely to reach 4.6 million by 2030, as conflict, climate change, rising poverty and inequality contin¬ued to hinder efforts to transform gender and social norms that underpin this harmful practice and disrupt pro¬grammes that help protect girls.
These revelations prove that all hands are needed on deck to save women and girls from this barbaric human rights violation.
The fight cannot be won if trans-border FGM practices were not checked.

By Raissa Sambou