The wife of the President of Nigeria, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has decried the prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Nigeria despite international and local efforts to end the practice.
Representing the President’s wife at the official launch of the United Nations support program to eliminate FGM in Abuja, the wife of the Vice President of Nigeria, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, called on women to support the global campaign to end FGM.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Aisha Alhassan, also said that the practice was a violation of the fundamental human rights of women and girls, stressing that it should be discouraged.
In her speech, the wife of the Senate President, Mrs Toyin Saraki, asked the wives of governors and other politicians to domesticate the programme in their states.
The wife of the Ebonyi State Governor, Mrs Rachel Umahi, who spoke on behalf of other state governors’ wives at the forum, assured the public of their support to spread the campaign against Female Genital Mutilation.
At least 19 million girls have undergone FGM in Nigeria, although the practice is punishable by the provisions of the 2015 Violence against Persons Prohibition Act.
