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Nigeria: Campaign against Female Genital Mutilation

The funding support provided by Hearts100 (October 2022 – March 2023) has gone a very long way in our work in supporting victims of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Nigeria in the forms of shelter accommodation, counselling support, skills training, economic empowerment and general awareness creation. An estimated total of 3,600 women have been directly or indirectly affected. There is now more conversation about FGM in Nigeria as a result of the project especially through the awareness creation through meetings and various media platforms (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Spotify, Ancho/FM and local radio). For the first time, women victims are coming out to openly speak about their FGM experiences and to call on government to implement the existing laws protecting women and girls against FGM. There is now more media buzz around the subject and so many people are becoming more aware. It is also coming to public knowledge that a big city like Lagos has several communities still practicing FGM. This is an encouragement to spread the message to other states and regions in Nigeria were the practice is weak, and to engage policy makers at the highest levels.

Shelter support for victims

The Hearts of Hope Shelter in Lagos, Nigeria continues to provide shelter for victims and survivors of FGM from across Nigeria seeking safety from FGM, those impacted by FGM and GBV and needing rehabilitation. Besides full-time accommodation, we have created a new system where some of them that live within the city can come for counselling, skills training after which they are given funding support. They are also offered counselling.

Awareness creation/community outreaches

In the last six months, we have carried out three awareness outreaches targeting community women, men, community leaders, youth leaders, children, policy makers, journalists and other stakeholders. This is to end the practice of FGM in Nigeria.

December 3, 2022, Outreach at Monkey Village Lagos: The one-day outreach brought together about 200 community leaders from seven communities across Lagos (where FGM is still very prevalent), mainly women to spread the message of anti-FGM and GBV. As a way of attracting the women, we provided medical testing, health awareness and dispensing of basic drugs.

December 22, 2022: On the occasion of CEE-HOPE’s 9th anniversary, another outreach was held, aimed exclusively at women, to spread the word.

February 6, 2023: Large seminar to celebrate the „International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM“ attended by many people and speakers from all over Lagos State. In attendance were community women leaders, male leaders, students, journalists, activists and many other people. The seminar also received media coverage:

Captions: Pictures 1–3: December 22, 2023, CEE-HOPE’s anniversary and awareness event, picture 3 with Betty Abah. Pictures 4–5: February 6, 2023, “International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM“

Video on the impacts of FGM

A video was produced titled ‘Female Genital Mutilation in the City’ featuring a survivor who was cut in the metropolitan city of Lagos, Nigeria at age 10. She is now 28 and a mother of four. The compelling thing about her case is that that action further led to the divorce of her parents and as she claimed, her father’s death shortly after (he was depressed and went back to their village in Northern Nigeria). The survivor, Fatima Dawud, is now a community and a champion against FGM. https://youtu.be/QSOaPNQ8mk4

Other multimedia productions and airing continue

CEE-HOPE continues to air its various productions (audio and video) and continues to air across several platforms including social and traditional media (Facebook, Twitter, Anchor Fm, Storify) and also make paid broadcast on local radio.

YouTube-Podcasts (Videos):
https://youtu.be/Py0eUNMKreQ
https://youtu.be/pxoaqpsRdBA
https://youtu.be/0AFgXc9YA8Q

Podcasts (Audios):
CEE-HOPE INTERACTIVE: »Debbie Ariyo – Fighting FGM in the UK«
CEE-HOPE INTERACTIVE: »End FGM – Interview with Dr. Princess«
CEE-HOPE INTERACTIVE: »Female Genital Mutilation – A Survivor …«

Caption: Three survivors of FGM posed with interviewer Kris, after their interview for the Anti-FGM Podcast.

Economic skills empowerment/grant for victims of FGM

A skills training session for victims of FGM from across Lagos was organized in March 2023 as part of the International Women’s Day. Skills taught included soap making, pastry making and tailoring. This was to strengthen the personal economic of the victims as well as make them financially independent. A little business grant was given to each of the participants.

Caption: FGM survivors learning production of local liquid soap, group photos after skills training, March 2023.

Establishment of community women leaders against FGM across Lagos communities

As part of the 2023 International Women’s Day event, at a one-day meeting we held, after discussion on their individual experiences and the roles they need to play in their various communities as peer leaders, the women were appointed as Anti-FGM leaders in their communities to continue to speak out against the practice which is also prevalent in Lagos city.