Groaning of a girl-child; Cut not my clitoris!

They struggle but remain helpless; they wail but their cries fall on deaf ears; they are innocent and yet made to go through the horrendous ordeal of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) by the very people who are to offer them protection – their families.

Gosh, it was such a gory sight, watching documentaries of victims of the dreaded FGM on national television and other platforms as the world shed the spotlight on this abhorrent act on February 6. Indeed, it was against this backdrop that the Inter African Committee on Harmful Traditional Practices instituted this day, in 2003, to urge the international community to take concrete measures to deal with the practice by declaring a zero tolerance to FGM.

Recognised globally as an affront to human rights, the act relates to all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organ for non-medical reasons. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), an estimated 120 to 140 million women have fallen prey to this cruel act. Also, about three million girls worldwide are feared to be at risk each year.

Indeed, the consequences of subjecting young ladies to this act are dire and often wreak perpetual havoc on victims, both physical and emotional. Put bluntly, the act constitutes an obvious slap on the victims’ rights to health, and exposes them to several infections they most often have to live with for the rest of their lives. Some even suffer serious complications, including fatal bleeding, often threatening their inalienable rights to life. Also, victims experience painful intercourse, obstructed labour,with others remaining in perpetual state of shock.

Several reasons have been adduced to be fanning the flames of this practice, with the need to keep to tradition being chief amongst them.So yes, just as the famous Key Soap ad goes, “the tradition goes on…”And of course, any lady who refuses to advance the cause of tradition in this regard is made to face the wrath of other family membersand traditional authorities.Their refusal may even result in their banishment.

Others too see the act as a means to exercise some form of control over women’s sexuality, considering the fact that victims are mostly young and often without anysexual experience. Perpetrators hold the view that the act has the potential to reduce a woman’s sexual desire, and ultimately lessen temptations on the part of these young girls to have sex, thereby preserving their virginities until they tie the knot.

AlsoFGM, according to some, marks victims out as belonging to particular communities. In other words, it offers a form of identity to women from communities where mutilation is carried out as part of the initiation of girls into adulthood. Therefore, girls in such communities cannot be considered adults unless they have experienced the act.

There are also some gender based factors which have contributed to the practice. For some, their acceptance of girls as complete women hinges on such girls being subjected to the FGM ordeal. Women who are not cut are deemed impure, and are, therefore, easily accused of being the source of certain calamities which may befall their families. So as a pre-emptive measure, some family members would go the full hog to ensure such women go through the act, albeit barbaric.

In keeping with their international counterparts, human rights advocates in Ghana often avail themselves of the International Day of Zero Tolerance to FGM to organise various programmes and campaigns aimed at sensitising the general public to bring an end to FGM. Such programmes, I must say, come in different shades and forms. So it could take the form of a press conference, workshop, roundtable discussion, stakeholders’ meeting, among other several terminologies. Indeed, the kind of euphoria or buzz which characterises such occasions could be likened to what greeted Christ on His triumphant entry into Jerusalem, as captured in Matthew 21:1-11. Both the print and electronic media are awash with stories and discussions on FGM,with various stakeholders exploring ways of putting the brakes on the act as witnessed this year. However, advocates often find it difficult sustaining this momentum,which is quite crucial in our efforts at nipping this cruel act in the bud. Instead, advocates have often tended to behave like men suffering from ‘pre-mature ejaculation.’Sadly, they go to sleep few days after the celebration in wait for another ‘round’ of celebration in the ensuing year. Of course, one cannot lose sight of the fact that ‘something’ may crop up in the course of the year which may ‘awaken’ advocates from their ‘sleep,’ but that’s usually just another flash in the pan.

There is, therefore, no gainsaying that this ‘fire service’ approach advocates seem to have adopted in dealing with FGM may have contributed to, a large extent, perpetrators’ continuous indulgence in the act. Such efforts may, at best, only scratch the surface of the problem but often fail woefully to address the rootcause. Seeing that FGM is embedded in people’s traditional beliefs, one would have thought that advocates would adopt a more rigorous and unremitting approach to tackling it as opposed to what pertains currently.

I am not a fan of action plans, but I think it is about time all stakeholders came together and developed one for dealing with FGM. I believe a National Action Plan to end FGM would provide the needed cutting edge and a more coordinated strategy to chalking up success in this regard. The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection can provide the needed oversight to ensure that all stakeholders play their parts in carrying the plan through.

Again, the Ministry must identify and work with traditional and opinion leaders in areas where the practice is prevalent in order to educate them on the dangers associated with the practice. This is because, people have so much respect for traditional and opinion leaders and would, therefore, be more inclined to listening to them to put an end to the practice.

It is interesting to note that Ghana passed a law in 1994, which was amended in 2007, to ban FGM, yet people continue to indulge in the practice with impunity. The situation only speaks volumes of how the security agencies lack the capacity to enforce the country’s laws. It is important perpetrators are made to face the full rigours of the law to serve as deterrent to others. After all, what is the use of a law if not meant to be implemented?

Also, stakeholders need to keep the advocacy flame alive by building enough research-based evidence about the causes and consequences of FGM, how to eliminate it, as well as how to care for victims. This would go a long way to ensure that the general public becomes more aware about the practice in order to be attuned to end it.

Additionally, we need to strengthen the health sector by developing training and policy guidelines to build the capacity of health professionals to provide medical care as well as counselling to girls and women living with FGM.

Let us all heed the groaning of these innocent girls and women and put our shoulders to the wheel to ensure an end to this barbaric act. It is true the practice is rooted in tradition, but tradition is dynamic, and we need not remain static, we can change!

Richard Amoako Ansong Email: aasirrichard@yahoo.com Blog: aasirrichard.wordpress.com