By Nafisat Makinde
The Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, in collaboration with relevant ministries and MDAs, renewed her commitment to eliminating Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) at the event commemorating THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ZERO TOLERANCE FOR FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION in Abuja on February 6, 2025.
This harmful practice of FGM has affected 19.9 million women and girls in Nigeria. Elimination of this practice can be achieved through collective responsibility, strengthening the legal framework, investing more in education, and promoting empowerment.
We are using today to reaffirm our commitment to ending one of the most serious violations of human rights-Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Today is a call for urgent, collective, and sustained action to protect the rights, dignity, and future of millions of girls and women in Nigeria and across the world.
This press briefing serves as an opportunity to highlight Nigeria’s progress, ongoing challenges, and the strategic actions being taken by the Federal Government, in collaboration with stakeholders, to eliminate FGM. It is also a platform to reinforce our commitment under the Renewed Hope Agenda of our leader, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to strengthen laws and scale up community efforts.
She highlights this year’s theme: “Step Up the Pace: Strengthening Alliances and Building Movements to End FGM,” which speaks to the urgency of our efforts. According to The Minister, her Ministry, in collaboration with stakeholders, is actively supporting the implementation of the National Policy and Plan of Action on FGM Elimination.
Nigeria remains among the countries with the highest burden of FGM globally. With 19.9 million women and girls affected (NDHS, 2018), our nation bears a significant responsibility to lead the charge in eliminating this harmful practice.
The 2018 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) places the prevalence rate at 20% among women aged 15-49, a statistic that underscores the urgent need for intensified action.
The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, as part of its ongoing efforts and as Co-Chair of the National Technical Committee on the Elimination of FGM, is actively supporting the implementation of the National Policy and Plan of Action on FGM Elimination in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, UNFPA, UNICEF, and other critical stakeholders, and is taking decisive action.
This framework serves as our strategic guide in addressing both the root causes and the devastating consequences of this practice.
As Nigeria marks this important day, the Ministry has outlined key activities such as an Advocacy Walk to the National Assembly to engage lawmakers and a visit to Jigawa State, one of Nigeria’s FGM flash-points. Furthermore, FGM is not culture, not tradition, but rather a human rights violation that has no place in our society.
I will work with the Hon. Minister of Justice to advocate for the strengthening of law enforcement and accountability, and with all the relevant Ministries to ensure we invest more in education and promote economic empowerment opportunities for women and girls,” she said.
The time for action is now. Together, let us #UNITE2ENDFGM. Together, let us ensure that every girl in Nigeria is free to live, free to dream, and free to thrive.
