Ghana will today, Thursday, 6th February 2020 join the world to mark International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
FGM is a human rights violation that affects an estimated five girls each minute worldwide with another 180,000 girls at risk of being subjected to FGM each year.
The practice of FGM is still ongoing in Ghana in spite of national and international laws that prohibit it, a statement from the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection said to mark the day.
FGM comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.
The procedure, which has no health benefits for girls and women, causes severe bleeding and problems urinating. Others include cysts, infections, infertility as well as complications in childbirth with increased risk of newborn deaths.
More than 125 million girls and women alive today have been cut in 29 countries in Africa and the Middle East where FGM is concentrated.
National statistics show that an average of about 4 percent of Ghanaian girls and women between the ages of 15 and 49 years have gone through the practice.
In Ghana, some parts of the Northern, Upper East, Upper West and Brong Ahafo and the Volta Regions including the Zongo Communities in certain urban centers of the country are notable places where the practice still goes on. The adoption of this cultural practice of FGM has not served any good purpose in our country. Culture that violates the rights of the people is not worth practicing.
Studies show that an estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women in the world today have undergone some form of FGM and two million girls are at risk from the practice each year.
Studies also indicate that in Ghana, the prevalence in the 1990s was as high as 77% but reduced drastically due to the advocacy and sensitization that has gone on. It is therefore regrettable that the practice is still ongoing undercover despite the numerous campaigns and education over the past years.
The current national prevalence is about four percent (4%) but regional prevalence, especially in some parts of Northern, Upper East and West regions could be higher due to some reports on FGM cases in some communities.
Source: Kofi Atakora
