The Nigeria’s House of Representatives is pushing a bill for an Act to amend the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015 and increase the penalty for the offence of female genital mutilation.
The bill which has passed through second reading at the House of Representatives is sponsored by Hon. Ganiyu Johnson. The bill pushes for 4-year imprisonment or a fine not exceeding N200,000.00 for any person who practices female genital mutilation or engages another to carry out such circumcision.
Harping on the move, Johnson said section 6(2) of the Act needed to be amended to read thus “6 (2) Any person who performs female circumcision or genital mutilation or engages another to carry out such circumcision or mutilation commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding five years or to a fine not exceeding one million nairas or to both”.
While noting that the new legislation will put a stop to the practice, he said “A UNICEF survey recently revealed that in Nigeria, one out of four girls and one out of ten boys suffers from sexual molestation and about one out of ten children will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday. Among the factors that encourage the commission of such unwholesome practices like female genital mutilation is the lack of adequate sanctions. Female genital mutilation, also known as female circumcision, excision or genital cutting, comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injuries to the genital organs for non-medical reasons, mostly carried out between infancy and age 15.
“The procedure has no health benefits for girls and women. Because it is usually performed without permission and often against will, it violates girls’ right to make important decisions about their sexual and reproductive health. Reports show that 200 million girls and women alive today have undergone a form of genital mutilation (FGM). An additional 2 million girls could undergo female genital mutilation by 2030 as a result of Covid-19. It is for this reason that this Bill is proposed, to review the sanctions provided within the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition), VAPP Act, so as to give it the required deterrence it deserves”.
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