By Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Amina Hilda
Published on 2024-02-07 18:16:08
New statistics from Cameroon’s Ministry of Women Empowerment and the Family (MINPROFF) have shown that the Far North Region has the highest prevalence of female genital mutilation in the country.
This revelation comes on the 17th International Female Genital Mutilation Day, celebrated under the theme “Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation.”
The data reveals that 0.2 percent of girls in the Adamawa Region, 1.6 percent in the East Region, 2.2 percent in the North, 2.4 percent in the South West, and 5.4 percent in the Far North Region of Cameroon practice female genital mutilation, with a national prevalence of 1.4 percent.
In 2019, the figures indicated that 4 percent of girls were affected by this practice, marking a significant decline to 1.4 percent according to the latest MINPROFF data.
Minister of Women Empowerment and the Family, Marie Thérèse Abéna Ondoa, addressed the issue in Yaoundé on February 6, 2024, characterizing female genital mutilation as “a form of gender-based violence that also promotes underpopulation.”
During the commemorative event, Minister Ondoa reiterated the government’s commitment to eliminating this practice through a combination of awareness campaigns and sanctions against those responsible for these mutilations.
Female genital mutilation, also known as female circumcision, involves the partial or complete removal of external female genitalia for non-medical reasons.
In the Far North Region of Cameroon, the practice is deeply rooted in certain communities, driven by cultural beliefs and traditions. Despite being illegal in Cameroon since 2016, female genital mutilation persists due to social pressures, perceptions of femininity, and misconceptions about health and hygiene.
This harmful practice poses severe physical and psychological health risks for women and girls, including pain, infections, childbirth complications, and long-term trauma.
Read the original article(French) on Mimi Mefo Info
