Ebonyi First Lady Launches Grassroots Network To End Female Genital Mutilation

By Amaka Okafor

The First Lady of Ebonyi State and Founder of the Better Health for Rural Women, Children and Internally Displaced Persons (BERWO) Foundation, Chief Mrs. Mary-Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru, has reaffirmed her determination to eradicate Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) with the launch of the Women’s Community Activation Network (W-CAN), a grassroots initiative aimed at mobilising women as advocates against the harmful practice across the state’s 13 local government areas.

Speaking at the Ebonyi State one day Leadership Summit on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation held at the Women Development Centre, Abakaliki, Mrs. Nwifuru described FGM as a human rights violation that must be confronted collectively. The summit was organised by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration with the BERWO Foundation.

Describing the gathering as “a conversation that can no longer be ignored,” the First Lady said, “Female Genital Mutilation is more than a cultural issue. Behind every case is a girl whose voice was unheard and a woman who continues to bear physical and emotional scars.” She stressed that the campaign against FGM was not an attack on culture but a mission to preserve the values of love, dignity, compassion and respect for human life while protecting the future of young girls.

Mrs. Nwifuru expressed appreciation to UNFPA for its consistent support in promoting maternal health, gender equality and the protection of girls from harmful traditional practices. She also commended survivors of FGM for their courage in sharing their experiences, noting that their testimonies continue to inspire stronger advocacy and renewed commitment to ending the practice.

She formally unveiled the Women’s Community Activation Network (W-CAN), explaining that the platform would mobilise women in communities across Ebonyi State to lead sustained grassroots campaigns against Female Genital Mutilation. According to her, awareness activities will also form a major component of this year’s August Meeting across the state to deepen community participation in the anti-FGM campaign.

In her remarks, the Gender and Gender-Based Violence Management Specialist at UNFPA, Dr. Zubaida Abubakar, lauded the First Lady and the Ebonyi State Government for their sustained commitment to eliminating FGM. She said the interventions of the BERWO Foundation had contributed significantly to reducing the prevalence of the harmful practice in the state, adding that UNFPA “remains committed to supporting efforts to end Female Genital Mutilation completely.”

Also speaking, the BERWO Foundation Team Lead, Prof. Nkechi Emma-Echiegu, and the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Barr. Felicia Nwankpuma, praised the First Lady’s leadership and advocacy. They called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, communities, religious leaders and development partners to eliminate FGM and other harmful traditional practices.

Delivering the keynote lecture, the Medical Director of the National Obstetric Fistula Centre (NOFIC), Abakaliki, Prof. Johnson Obunna, highlighted the severe health, psychological and social consequences of Female Genital Mutilation. He urged stakeholders, especially religious and traditional leaders, to intensify public enlightenment and community engagement to eradicate the practice.

The summit featured a panel discussion on practical strategies for eliminating FGM, a survivor’s emotional testimony, the signing of a communiqué, and the administration of an anti-FGM pledge by government officials, traditional rulers’ wives, female religious leaders, women leaders and development partners. The event ended with cultural performances promoting the preservation of Ebonyi’s rich heritage while rejecting harmful traditional practices.