By HELEN OVBIAGELE
When towards the end of 2011, the Senate in Nigeria passed a bill against same sex marriage in Nigeria, several countries in the western world bared their fangs immediately, protesting that the law was an infringement on the human rights of those who are gay.

Some of these countries threatened to stop the aids they grant Nigeria if the bill is passed into law. Freedom and democratic rule are ideas that the western world have always championed, however, it appears the world is more concerned about adult preferences in their intimate lives, than the more serious issue  of a helpless little girl being deprived of her human rights, through enforced female circumcision, which is detrimental to her health, state of mind, and general well-being.

Female genital mutilation (FGM), with all the hazards attached to the practice is so dangerous to the life of the girl-child that the Inter-African Committee (IAC) ON TRADITIONAL PRACTICES affecting the health of women and children, was set up many years ago to fight against it.

Mrs. Linda Osarenren.....2015 was set as the new target to see a world free from FGM

Many notable women in Africa, where the practice is prevalent, took up the fight, and this led to February 6, being unanimously adopted as the international day of Zero Tolerance to FGM, at a conference organized by the IAC in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2003.

Representatives at the Conference from 49 countries included 4 First Ladies (from Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Guinea Conakry and Mali), Ministers, and Parliamentarians, Religious, Community and Youth leaders among others.

Late Mrs. Stella Obasanjo, First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the time, made the declaration speech on behalf of all the First Ladies of Africa.

Mrs. Linda Osarenren, Director, IAC, has this to say on the fight so far, and on the theme of this year’s celebration:

“In 2003, the year 2010 was set as the target for achieving Zero Tolerance to FGM worldwide.  When this achievement was impossible, 2015 was set as the new target to see a world free from FGM; 2015 being the target of reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) has long realized that without the sincere involvement of governments, achieving Zero Tolerance to FGM will remain a dream.

As far back as 1998, the United Nations General Assembly passed a RESOLUTION calling upon all States to

“Intensify efforts to raise awareness of and to mobilize international and national public opinion concerning the harmful effects of traditional or customary practices affecting the health of women and girls, including female genital mutilation…”  (Resolution A/RES/53/117, on 9 December 1998)

Many UN Conventions such as Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 24.3; and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), support the promotion of the Human Rights of women and children and the elimination of FGM as a form of violence.

In July 2003, in Maputo, Mozambique, the African Union Summit adopted the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights Relating to the Rights of Women which has Article 5 condemning FGM and other harmful traditional practices. In addition the African Union passed a DECISION in July 2011 supporting a world-wide ban on FGM (Assembly/AU/Dec.383)

Almost ten years gone since the adoption of February 6 as world FGM Day, progress has been very slow in spite of yearly activities to draw the attention of all stakeholders at the international and national levels to efforts that need to be exerted to free women and girls from the adverse tradition of FGM and to accelerate action towards its elimination.

To fight FGM effectively worldwide, building alliances is indispensable. This informed the theme for 2012, hoping that with increased and sustained government commitments, FGM should be racing down-slope into oblivion.

What is Zero Tolerance to FGM?

By “Zero Tolerance to FGM”, IAC means that FGM should not be tolerated for any reason, no matter the type, who is doing it, on whom and  place where done.

Zero Tolerance to FGM is an initiative to bring together all efforts to observe, reflect and deliberate on FGM and to renew commitments to liberate African women from cultural and traditional belief systems that are inimical to sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Focus on FGM

Female Genital Mutilation is one form of Violence against Women. It is a violation of human rights’ principles, as stipulated in many International, Regional and National legal instruments. Besides, the Millennium Development Goals advocate for the promotion of Gender Equality and Empowerment of women.

Female Genital Mutilation refers to any practice that involves the partial or total removal or alteration of the external female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

Africa has the highest FGM prevalence in the world with 98 percent in Somalia. The practice is performed on women and girls in 28 countries in Africa and among African immigrants in many countries outside of Africa.

Lined-up Activities:

Part of the activities lined–up  by IAC and her partners in 28 African countries and among some of the 17 IAC Affiliates in Europe, Asia, and America to mark the 2012 Zero Tolerance to FGM Day include book launch, football competitions, TV and radio panel discussions, press briefing, symposium, forum, lectures, seminars, street rallies, drama presentation, poetry recitation and songs highlighting FGM as a tradition that should die being a harmful practice and a violation of the human rights of women and girls.

The Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) calls on all governments to implement the 1998 RESOLUTION of the UN General Assembly and the RESOLUTION of the African Union calling for an end to FGM.”