Plan International Nigeria has condemned the rising trend of medicalised Female Genital Mutilation, where healthcare workers perform the procedure under the pretense of ensuring safety.
The organisation warned that this practice undermines efforts to eliminate FGM by 2030 and called for stricter legal measures against medical practitioners involved.
In a statement marking the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM this February, Plan International Nigeria described medicalised FGM as a violation of both medical ethics and human rights.
The group urged the Nigerian government to clearly ban the practice in national health policies and strengthen the enforcement of existing laws, such as the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act and the Child Rights Act.
The statement, signed by Plan International Nigeria’s Advocacy and Youth Programme Officer, Jonathan Abakpa, revealed that over 20 million girls in Nigeria have undergone FGM, making up nearly 10 per cent of global cases.
“FGM is a grave human rights violation, affecting at least 200 million girls worldwide. As an organisation, we recognise the critical need to align efforts toward ending this harmful practice,” the statement read.
The organisation added that its stance aligns with global agreements like the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and Nigeria’s VAPP Act.
Plan International Nigeria called for more awareness campaigns to educate communities about the dangers of FGM and urged governments to provide psychosocial and economic support for survivors.
“Ending FGM requires collective action, stronger policies, and sustained advocacy. We urge governments, civil society organisations, communities, and individuals to join us in taking bold steps toward eliminating this harmful practice.
“Governments at all levels must fully implement and enforce existing laws that prohibit FGM, including the VAPP Act and the Child Rights Act,” the statement added.
The organisation also asked states yet to adopt the VAPP Act and Child Rights Act to do so without delay. It proposed laws that would criminalise the failure to report FGM cases, ensuring accountability at all levels.
Beyond legal measures, the group stressed the importance of comprehensive support for survivors. They called on governments and civil society groups to invest in community-led programmes offering counselling, medical care, and economic opportunities for affected women and girls.
Recognising the influence of traditional and religious leaders, the group urged expanded grassroots campaigns to educate families about the dangers of FGM.
“Additionally, we call for increased funding and capacity-building for law enforcement, social welfare agencies, and civil society organisations engaged in the fight against FGM,” the statement said.
Plan International Nigeria stressed that while global commitments have boosted legal and policy efforts against FGM, the practice still endangers millions of girls worldwide.
The group warned that policy declarations alone are not enough and urged stakeholders to prioritise enforcement, community-driven actions, and survivor-centred support.
“The time for promises has passed—now is the moment for bold, sustained action to protect the next generation and accelerate efforts to end FGM by 2030,” the organisation stated.
