Nov. 28, 2021

Dr Omolaso Omosehin, the Regional Head of UN Population Fund (UNFPA), says the UN has raised champions among traditional cutters who have not only become change agents against Female Genital Mutilation but dropped their tools.

Omosehin told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar on Saturday that such a transformational norm was possible with the strong collaboration of traditional and religious leaders.

He said that a community-based advocacy and sensitisation led to Public Declaration of Abandonment (PDA) of FGM by some focus communities.

He added that “through some of our programmes, we achieved Public Declaration of Abandonment, where some communities denounced FGM.

“We have also established surveillance centres to monitor the compliance of those communities.”

The UNFPA official who restated the determination of the UN to end all forms of violence against women and girls, said that they were using provisions of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) law.

He explained that the fund had rehabilitated many survivors of GBV through the referral centres by the Ministry of Women Affairs.

According to him, the UNFPA has empowered many survivors by giving them starter packs to be self employed and economically independent.

Omosehin said that the fund had not been able to provide adequate safe spaces for women and girls as a result of the fears and challenges of COVID-19.

He added that “GBV is still on the increase as well as FGM in spite of the fact that we are making progress but we are not yet there.”

He expressed satisfaction with the host communities response to the interventions of the UNFPA, saying the support was immense.

Omosehin, however, affirmed the commitment of UNFPA to drive the desired change for not only the protection of women and girls but humanity. (NAN)