The House of Representatives has reiterated the need to eradicate the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) because of its health and psychological effects on women.
The call followed a motion moved by Ganiyu Abiodun Johnson on Thursday.
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While presenting the motion, the lawmaker said the practice portends dangers to the health and wellbeing of women and girls, ranging from urinary tract infections, infertility, hepatitis and other blood-borne diseases.
He said: “Female genital mutilation is an act of violence against women and girls and amounts to a violation of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, 2015.
“About 20 million girls and women in Nigeria and 20% of Nigerian women aged between 15 to 49 years are reported to have undergone female genital mutilation in Nigeria
“The United Nations Report published in 2020, reported that Nigeria ranked the third-highest number in cases of female genital mutilation in the world.”