By Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is the partial of total removal of the external female genitalia. It is practiced across the world in some parts of Africa, Asia and Middle East.
For those that practice it, have given reasons of helping to ensure the girls’ virginity until marriage, however, it is internationally recognized as a violation of the woman’s or the girl’s human rights.
Mufti Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje, the Mufti of Uganda under the Inter-religious Council of Uganda (IRCU), has described FGM as ‘an act against God’s order of creation’ therefore he has strongly advised it should stop.
Addressing the crowd of people on Saturday 16, September 2017 at the third annual Marathon to end FGM at the Kapchorwa Boma Grounds, Mubajje, the Mufti and the chairman of the IRCU, said that different faiths under IRCU are united against FGM.
“With continued support from the Government and development partners, such as the UN, the advocacy and social mobilization against FGM among practicing communities is ensured,” Mufti Mubajje said.
Mubajje disclosed that despite the several steps taken to eliminate FGM in some parts of Uganda, which have as well been a success in some parts, there are some communities however that are still practicing it.
He threw more light to the point that, there are some families that practice FGM on the girls underground, by taking them across the border to Kenya, where they are secretly cut.
FGM is practiced from the early days after the birth of a girl child to puberty and to this fact, Mufti Mubajje has defined this as a form of gender based violence, undermining the girl child’s dignity.
Explaining ways of how the still affected areas are to be helped, Mufti Shaban Mubajje informed that the members of the council (IRCU) are planning to stage in the affected areas to carry out sensitization against FGM.
The IRCU members plan on conducting educative forums, where parents are going to be informed on the dangers of practicing FGM to their girl children, with negative effects that may be permanent.
Archbishop Stanley Ntagali, Jane Mpagi from the Ministry of gender among others, were all present for the annual Marathon, and welcomed the ideas.
Reporter: Shamilah Namuddu