FGM invades health sector

As the World marks the FGM International Zero Tolerance Day, statistics in Singida region indicate a depressing account with 19,649 out of the 96,717 women who underwent delivery in hospitals in the region between 2012- 2014 indicating that they had undergone Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C).

Statistics further indicate that the trend has been shooting with 5,249 women found to have been cut in 2012, about 5,388   in 2013, and the number shot to 9,012 women in 2014. However, the said statistics do not include the mutilation of infants below five years of age, a trend is said to be on the rise in the region, with mutilators tying private parts with ropes and at times rubbing them with ash soda as part of the process.

The deadening revelations were made in Singida Region yesterday by a medical expert in charge of reproductive health in the region Dr. Suleiman Muttani in a presentation to mark the International Zero Tolerance Day marked at the national level here. Chief Guest and minister for Community Development, Gender and Children, Sophia Simba said it was disheartening to note that health officials who are well trained and well aware of the effects of FGM/C were now practicing FGM/C.

She said the government had now decided to embark into a multi-sectors approach involving various stakeholders to curb the vice, as it was a criminal offence that should be curbed. In another turn, the Anti FGM Coalition in the country has called upon the government to allocate financial resources for local governments, police and the courts to enable them to oversee the law by taking to task perpetrators of FGM/C.

The call was made in a speech read by a legal officer from the Gender and Children Unit at the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) Joyce Msoffe on behalf of the Anti FGM Coalition Coordinator, Dr. Helen Kijo- Bissimba. “The Penal Code Cap 169 (1) has a lot of loopholes as it only protects girls under 18 from FGM and  provides for punishment of a fine not less than 300,000/- or an imprisonment not less than  five years   and which does not exceed fifteen years or both.  FGM is thus a criminal offence,” said Msoffe. The LHRC coordinates the Anti-FGM Coalition in the country.

This year’s event was organized by the Tanzania Media Women Association and funded by UNFPA, bringing together anti FGM coalition members from AFNET, LHRC, TAMWA, BAKWATA, NAFGEM, CCT,   World Vision, DIAC and WLAC, meanwhile as FGM is being seen to take a new trend. Global statistics indicate that health officials are well involved in mutilating women and girls.

Statistics by the World Health Organization show than at least one out of five and in some areas three out of five women are mutilated by health officials globally. The revelations were made in Singida over the weekend by senior UNFPA official Tausi Hassan during a speech to mark the International Zero Tolerance Day marked at national level.

Time had come for the world to engage health officials such as doctors in reproductive sectors, nurses, and midwife to curb FGM/C. “Engaging health officials will curb the practice because the people they serve have faith in them and as such will take heed.  The lives of girls will not improve if child marriages and FGM/C remain in the country,” said Tausi in a speech on behalf of the UNFPA Country Director. She said more than 130 million women were reported to have undergone FGM/C in Africa alone.

For her part, Valeria Msoka, Executive Director for TAMWA said a lot of effort had been made but plenty  more has to be done to curb FGM/C owing to perpetrators changing their strategies with each passing day. Msoka emphasized the need to involve media houses in each step of the way, be it in policy or law reforms to curb the vice.

“ The media is a mouthpiece for the public.  Using it effectively could see the public shun away from FGM/C,”  she declared.

For her part, a legal officer at the Gender and Children unit at the Legal and Human Rights Centre Joyce Msoffe called upon the need for the government to build more shelter homes to shelter girls who flee from the FGM/C. The International Zero Tolerance Day is normally marked on February 6 of each year.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN