Despite progress, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) remains a threat to girls in Oyo State. Stakeholders are calling for stronger laws, sustained funding, and community engagement to ensure the practice ends by 2030.
The appeal came on Friday in Ibadan during a media briefing marking the 2026 International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, organised by the Centre for Comprehensive Promotion of Reproductive Health (CCPRH) with support from the UNFPA and the Nigeria Union of Journalists. The event was themed: “Towards 2030: No End To FGM Without Sustained Commitment And Investment”.
Chairman of the Oyo State House of Assembly Committee on Women Affairs and Community Development, Olufunke Olajide, said protecting the girl child is a shared responsibility. She called for stronger enforcement of existing laws, including the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law, and predictable funding for anti-FGM programmes.
“The welfare of society rests on the wellbeing of every girl child. FGM causes lifelong harm. We must ensure laws are enforced and policies sustained to reach the 2030 goal,” Olajide said.
Olasunkanmi Babalola, Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, noted that laws alone are insufficient. “It’s not the absence of legislation but its effective implementation that matters. Post-legislative scrutiny will help improve how laws work on the ground”, he said.
CCPRH Executive Director Emeritus, Professor Oladosu Ojengbede emphasized financing, political will, and community leadership to change harmful norms. He called for dedicated budgets, capacity building for health and justice workers, strong data systems, and survivor-focused support.
“The gains in reducing FGM must be protected and accelerated. Commitment without investment is not enough. History will judge us by whether today’s girls grow up free from harm”, Ojengbede said.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Oyo State Primary Health Care Board, stressed collective responsibility. “We must all invest in prevention and ensure every stakeholder protects girls from this harmful practice”, he said.
