Better Health for Rural Women Children and Internally Displaced Persons Foundation in Ebonyi has advocated equal rights and privileges as well as, an end to unnecessary stigmatization of uncircumcised female teenagers in rural communities.
The team leader, Dr Nkechi Echiegu, condemned the stigmatization of uncircumcised girls by their peers and some illiterate parents in the rural communities, which she said has forced some to opt for genital mutilation.
Echiegu cautioned parents to be alive to their responsibilities by protecting and encouraging their children to shun negative family and societal pressures.
She pledged continuous sensitization by the foundation to create awareness due to the many reports of people still mutilating female genitals in the rural communities in the state.
“As of September 2023, we got a report that some girls in Ezza Inyimegu in Izzi local government area of the state went to a traditional birth attendant and demanded to be circumcised.
“Actually, it was even a man that circumcised them. When we heard about it, we tried to know why such occurred.
“It is an international discourse because the UNFPA decided to partner with our foundation to follow up and find out if it was true.
”Lo and behold, at Community Secondary School Ezza Inyimegu, one of the girls opened up that their mothers stigmatised them and called them (Akpapi), meaning, uncircumcised girls.”