By Prosper Mene
In a strong statement marking the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), the wife of Anambra State Governor and founder of the Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo Initiative, Dr Nonye Soludo, has condemned the practice as barbaric, inhumane, and a gross violation of the rights and dignity of girls and women.
Dr Soludo described FGM as having no cultural or moral justification, emphasizing that it inflicts lifelong physical, psychological, emotional, and sexual trauma on victims. She stated that subjecting a girl child to the procedure results in a lifetime of pain, agony, and suffering, with many survivors bearing long-lasting scars.
“There is absolutely nothing culturally or morally upright about subjecting a girl child to the lifetime pains and agony of Female Genital Mutilation,” she asserted.
The Anambra First Lady called for intensified advocacy, education, and empowerment of girls and women to lead the fight against this harmful tradition. She highlighted education as one of the most powerful tools for human development and social change, urging consistent awareness and community action to eradicate FGM entirely.
Dr Soludo stressed the urgency of the moment, warning that delays in action could have devastating consequences, and affirmed that the time to end the practice is now.
Her advocacy reinforces national and global drives to abolish female genital mutilation, widely regarded as a human rights violation devoid of any health value.
This renewed commitment from Anambra’s First Lady reinforces ongoing campaigns to protect the rights and wellbeing of women and girls in the state and beyond.
