Oyo State Govt, UNICEF, Trailblazer Host One Day Law & Policy Advocacy Meeting In Line With Ongoing Collaboration To End FGM & GBV*

The Oyo State Government through its Ministry of Women Affairs & Social Inclusion , in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and an NGO;Trailblazer Initiative Nigeria (TBI), has forged ahead in it’s commitment to eradicate the harmful practise of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Gender-Based Violence (GBV), and Violence Against Children (VAC) through advocacy, empowerment, and strengthened justice systems.

This was the focus of a one-day Law and Policy Advocacy Meeting held on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, at the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion Conference Hall, Secretariat, Ibadan which brought together stakeholders from law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, civil society,the House of Assenmbly and community groups to deliberate on practical strategies to end harmful practices and protect survivors.

Speaking at the meeting, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Hon. (Mrs.) Toyin Balogun, stressed the urgent need for stronger enforcement of existing laws, while also highlighting the government’s commitment to rehabilitating former traditional circumcisers through skills acquisition/vocational training and sustainable empowerment to encourage them to abandon the harmful practise which causes long term damage and harm to victims

“We cannot build something on nothing. Many of these practitioners inherited the vocation from their parents and rely on it for livelihood.

There is no vacuum in nature.We cannot compel practitioners called “Oloola’s ” in the local parlance to abandon this harmful career without offering them a meaningful and sustainable alternative source of livelihood.

Just like drug addiction,we must avail them a sustainable alternative if projected outcomes are to be achieved,otherwise,they may be tempted to return.

The Government of His Excellency Governor Makinde is committed to a holistic approach to end this menace,that is why empowerment after training is crucial,.The Government of of Our State will be rolling out Vocational Training& Skills Acquisition training programs soon to avail practitioners a viable alternative to this harmful career path to ensure they are not left behind in line with the mandate of the Ministry for inclusivity ” she said.

The Commissioner also emphasized that boys, as well as girls, are also vulnerable to various forms of GBV abuse and must be included in interventions.

She also reaffirmed that Governor Seyi Makinde is committed to building stronger institutional frameworks that prioritize Survivor-Centered legal aid and ensure that the justice system is both compassionate and efficient while underscoring the Makinde led Government’s Zero Tolerance to all manifestations of Gender Based Violence in the state from Female Genital Mutilation,Intimate Partner Violence,Rape,Psychological violence,Stalking,Physical violence,Forced marriage,Child Marriage, Forced sterilisation and so called ” Honor Killings” in line with the Council of Europe Istanbul Convention identifying the various types of Gender Based Violence as indicated above

UNICEF Child Protection Specialist for the South West zone,Mr. Denis Onoise, described FGM as a form of gender-based violence rooted in harmful cultural norms.

He reiterated UNICEF’s zero-tolerance stance, stressing that the law must take its course against perpetrators

“We don’t want any child to be cut. The law is clear: nobody should be cut. If anyone continues this practice, the VAPP Law must take its course. Together, we must end FGM by 2030,” he declared.

In his remark, the executive director of TBI, Dr. Dare Olagoke Adaramoye, explained that the programme was designed to strengthen prosecution, bridge justice gaps, and improve survivor-centered support services.

Findings presented at the meeting showed that FGM persists due to cultural beliefs, low awareness of laws, stigma, weak community-law enforcement linkages, and even medicalization of the practice by some health workers.

Stakeholders identified several challenges affecting justice delivery, including inadequate funding for witnesses, shortage of judges, lack of shelters and Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs), and poor inter-sectoral collaboration.

At the close of the meeting, participants adopted key resolutions such as: establishing specialized courts for GBV/FGM cases, recruiting more judges, expanding family courts, improving survivor-centered legal aid, scaling up shelters and SARCs, continuous community sensitization on the VAPP Law, and providing sustainable empowerment for former circumcisers.

The meeting ended with a collective resolve by stakeholders including the Oyo State House of Assembly, Ministry of Justice, FIDA, National Human Rights Commission, and law enforcement agencies that FGM, GBV, and VAC are crimes against the state and must be addressed with urgency.

“Protecting our girls is not just a duty but a collective responsibility. FGM, GBV, and VAC are battles we must all fight together.”

Mrs Aminat Busari-Adeleke
INFORMATION OFFICER
MIN OF WOMEN AFFAIRS & SOCIAL INCLUSION