Female genital mutilation is a practice that is still going on in some African countries. In Cameroon, female genital mutilation is practiced in the Far North Region notably in the Logone and Chari and in the South West in Region especially in Manyu Division and some border localities and big cities like in the Briqueterie, Ekoudou neighbourhood in Yaounde. Results of a health demographic study reveal that the rate of female genital mutilation stands at 1.4 percent. It is in this light that the fifth edition of the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilations was celebrated in Yaounde yesterday February 6. The theme of this year was “From Malabo to New York, supporting the United Nations General Assembly Resolution banning Female Genital Mutilations in the world”. The objective is to sensitise social actors on the fight against female genital mutilations on the need to support the United Nations General Assembly resolution banning female genital mutilations in the world.
The Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, Marie Thérèse Abena Ondoa said the fight against violence against women in general and FGM in particular is a major preoccupation of government. She called on the support of all concerning the adoption of the UN General Assembly resolution which aims at stopping such hideous practices in the world. Marie Thérèse Abena Ondoa commissioned the members of the local committee for the fight against FGM in the Yaounde II Subdivision. The Minister said other local committees will be commissioned in other regions of the country.
Yesterdays ceremony was also marked by the presentation of the situation of Female Genital Mutilation in Cameroon, the popularisation of the text on violence against women in general and the female genital mutilations in particular. The audience also listened to a testimony of Alhadji Sallaou Mohamadou, a former incisor, who declared he has obeyed government and stopped the practice.
