By Justina Auta
Hope for Village Child Foundation (HVCF), an NGO, has implemented key interventions in various communities to end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and protect the rights of women and girls in Kaduna State.
Ms. Grace Sim-Auta, Coordinator of the Gender Unit at HVCF, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Abuja.
Sim-Auta noted that FGM was still practiced in some rural communities, adding that the organisation conducted awareness campaigns on the Kaduna State Child Welfare Protection Law and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law in several communities.
She explained that these activities engaged men, women, and youth, fostering a better understanding of what constituted abuse, the consequences, and the legal stance on these issues.
She added that, through the selection and training of community paralegals, the foundation had equipped individuals with basic legal knowledge to serve as first responders in cases of rights violations.
“These paralegals bridge the gap in the legal system by educating community members, reporting cases to the police, and ensuring follow-ups on investigations, particularly concerning the abuse of women and girls,” she said.
Sim-Auta also highlighted that investigative reports indicated positive attitudinal changes regarding the rights of women and girls, particularly in Chikaji Hausa in Igabi Local Government Area (LGA) and Sabon Gari Kufana in Kajuru LGA.
She said that both areas, located in Kaduna State, have shown improvements in community perspectives on the rights of women and girls, especially in relation to the fight against FGM.
“We uncovered a deeply rooted cultural practice during our intervention in one of the communities.
“Through educational films and documentaries, community members recognised a form of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) they previously did not view as such.
“This practice is locally known as ‘cire belu,’ involving the cutting of a newborn girl’s genitalia along with tonsil removal.
“Previously, the community only associated FGM with cutting the genitalia of an adolescent girl,” she explained.
She said that HVCF had sensitised the communities on the medical risks, psychological and physical effects of FGM, and its legal implications.
“Following these engagements, the community resolved to abandon the practice.
“Religious leaders also pledged to continue discussions among men to ensure its abolition,” she added.
Sim-Auta emphasised the need for more collaboration and stronger alliances between the government, donor agencies, and civil society organisations (CSOs).
She stressed that such partnerships were essential to educate the public on the dangers of FGM.
She also highlighted the importance of raising awareness about how FGM constituted a violation of women’s rights, calling for collective efforts to address the issue effectively.
NAN reports that the 2025 theme for the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM is “Stepping up the Pace; Strengthening Alliances and Building Movements to End FGM.”
The theme aims to strengthen collaborative efforts among stakeholders to end the practice, emphasising the importance of unified action in tackling FGM.(NAN)
