Some Communities in Upper East still practice FGM
Bolgatanga, April 8, GNA- Research conducted by Action Aid Ghana (AAG) and its local partner Belim Wusa Development Agency (BEWDA) has revealed that some communities in the Upper East Region still practiced Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). The communities include Mognori, Bardo, Mandago, Widana and Waanre in the Bawku Municipality and the Pusiga District. The two agencies made the findings available to the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs on Monday and cited reasons for the practice as women who have undergone FGM stayed faithful to their partners. It also said people practiced FGM because they believed that it prevented married women who have undergone FGM from being ridiculed by their rivals. According to the research, the communities believed that FGM increased girls chances of getting married (as they are more likely to be faithful) and that FGM prevented death of first babies born to the woman and prevented diseases of the clitoris. Mr Shaibu Abubakar, Programmes Manager of BEWDA who did the presentation, mentioned the effects of the practice to include complications during child birth and excessive bleeding that sometimes resulted in death. He said the girls stayed at home for long for their wounds to heal before going to school which adversely affected their education. Mr Abubakar said in Ghana, Act 484 of 1994 makes the practice criminal and punishable by a three year jail term. He stated that AAG and BEWDA had undertaken lots of interventions including sensitisation programmes in the communities about health implication of FGM. Girls and Women who had undergone the practice have been organised to become Ambassadors to sensitise the community members about the effects of FGM. They have also formed girls clubs where they compose songs in both Kusal and Bissa dialects about the practice. Chiefs, he noted, had also issued a communiqu banning the practice and that Pusiga Girls Camp also issued another communiqu condemning the practice. The Programmes Manager of AAG in charge of the Upper East Region, Mr James Kusi-Boama, said the communities were selected based on reports received by AAG and BEWDA during community interactive sessions on issues of human rights as well as from the Municipal Director of the Department of Social Welfare, during a partnership review meeting organized by AAG.GNA
Read Full Story
Advertise Here contact ads[@]ghheadlines.com
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS