Violence Against Girls: Breast Ironing, FGM Condemned

Twenty six per cent of Cameroonian girls at puberty undergo breast ironing ordeals, according to association.

The advocacy campaign against breast ironing and female genital mutilation has kicked off in Douala with sensitisation and awareness-raising. Aimed at eradicating breast ironing and female genital mutilation (FGM) among girls in the Wouri Division, the campaign was motivated by the fact that 53 per cent of the target population in the Littoral were victims of breast ironing in 2006, going by online statistics by the German Technical Cooperation (GiZ). Though there has not been any recent statistics on the phenomenon yet, the move was motivated by certain provisions on violence against women in the new Penal Code.

Twenty six per cent of girls at puberty undergo breast ironing ordeals in the country, according to statistics contained in the 2016 Bilingual Handbook by the Modern Advocacy Humanitarian Social and Rehabilitation Association, MAHSRA. To Dr. Kelly Ngyah, Promoter, this involves the process whereby mothers/guardians use heated objects like piston, stones or coconut shells to flatten their daughters’ breasts. They believe that it delays the growth ...