Female Genital Mutilation : Actors Recommit To Eradicate Vice

The Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, Marie Therese Abena Ondoa has called for a change of mentalities and a culture of respect for the human person  particularly women.  She was speaking on February 6, 2023 in Yaounde, as she launched the 16th edition of the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). The event brought together all key actors in the fight for girls’ right under the theme: “Partnership with men and boys to transform social and gender norms to end female genital mutilation.”
Speaking in the presence of the Minister of Employment and Vocational Training, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, the Minister said the practice of FGM still exists in some regions of the country with an overall rate of 1.4 per cent nationwide and 20 per cent in certain areas such as the South West, Centre and the greater North Regions in the country. She reiterated that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes the right of all human beings to freely dispose of their bodies. Why should women be deprived of certain parts of their external genitalia, the Minister questioned. While stating that the government since 2016 has a new Penal Code and has also recognised international legal framework instruments on FGM, Marie Therese Abena said all those still practicing FGM will be sanctioned. 
The Country Director of Plan International Cameroon, Johnson Bien-Aime, said his organisation is determined to reinforce all its efforts with partners (the government, families and communities) to stop the practice which is a major danger to the wellbeing of any woman. Plan International, Jo...