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Group wants law on FGM strictly enforced

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As the world marks day of zero tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, the Ghana Association for Women Welfare and Women Ministry are calling for strict enforcement of laws against the practice. President of the association, Florence Ali, says FGM can be eradicated but that also requires effective public education. The practice happens to most young girls and women in the three regions up north. Bawku is considered, one of the most endemic areas for FGM. According to the World Health organization, about 3 million girls and women are at risk of being subjected to this ordeal every year. Florence Ali noted that Female Genital Mutilation is a violation of human rights of women including the right to life, physical integrity to the highest attainable standard of health and freedom from mental violence. She is therefore calling on law enforcement agencies to arrest perpetrators. “The law enforcement agencies shouldn’t turn a blind eye to this thing when it comes to them because it is a very serious issue. We are talking of the human rights of somebody which is being trampled upon, [there is also] causing body harm to somebody… so they shouldn’t say that it is tradition.” She said about six percent of nursery kids between the ages of two and five examined in the northern part of Ghana have been mutilated. She said because people are aware of the law criminalizing the act, they practice the illegal act in secret.

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.