Female circumcision on the decline in Upper East

A study carried out in the Upper East region between 1995 and 1999 indicates that the rate at which girls are being circumcised in the region is decreasing gradually.

In 1995, the prevalence of female circumcision also known as female genital mutilation (fgm) in the upper east regional capital Bolgatanga was 14 per cent, but declined to 4.7 per cent by 1999.

The study, which was conducted by Rural Help Integrated (RHI), a non-governmental organisation (ngo), providing reproductive health services in the region, reveals that while there is a high incidence of cases of fgm among women between the ages of 35 and 44 years, those within the ages of 14 and 24 years is on the decline.

Dr Kwesi Odoi-Agyarko, director of RHI, said this on Wednesday at a three-day workshop on female genital mutilation information sharing, organised in Bolgatanga for 70 representatives of NGO's and health personnel from the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions of Ghana.

He attributed the decline to sustained advocacy involving chiefs, opinion leaders, assembly members and individuals. The average prevalence rate of FGM in the region as at 1999 stood at 36 per cent, while that of the whole country is estimated at between nine per cent and 12 per cent.

Dr Odoi-Agyarko noted that fgm is a traditional practise that has harmful effects on the victims who are exposed to over-bleeding, infections, difficulty in delivery, mental torture and sometimes death.

He said the research found out that the people had no tangible reason to continue the practice and that if they were convinced about its harmful effects they would stop it.

Mr David Osei-Wusu, Regional Minister who opened the workshop, noted that fgm is not only a health hazard, but also a violation of the victim's human rights, and a form of violence against the girl child.

He advised all stakeholders in anti-fgm advocacy to be careful when educating the people so as not to hurt their sensitivities, because that would affect their attitudes.

The workshop is being organised by RHI with support from the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) and the Association of Church Development Projects (ACDEP). It is meant to make the research findings known to other stakeholders and to eradicate the practise of fgm.

An estimated 130 million women world-wide are said to have undergone fgm, which involves cutting off of the clitoris and sometimes the labia as well.