The Oyo State Government, in partnership with UNICEF and Trailblazer Initiative Nigeria, has renewed the call for the complete abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and the elimination of sexual exploitation and abuse of women and girls in society.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Hon. Mrs. Toyin Balogun, made the call during a two-day review meeting on the implementation of the FGM programme by Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA). The event, funded by UNICEF, was held in Ibadan.
According to Balogun, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and sexual exploitation are not only violations of human rights but also forms of violence against women and girls, with long-lasting physical, emotional, and psychological effects.
She noted that significant progress had been recorded in policy reforms, community education, and behavioural change campaigns aimed at eradicating these harmful practices.
“This engagement is an opportunity to empower CSOs to lead community-driven solutions, foster cross-learning, reinforce partnerships, and collectively strategize on scaling up interventions to close existing gaps,” she stated.
Mrs. Balogun further emphasized that in protecting girls from sexual exploitation and abuse, there is a moral and professional obligation to ensure that service delivery is anchored on dignity, respect, and zero tolerance for abuse.
“The people we serve must never be placed in situations where their vulnerability is exploited especially not by those entrusted to protect and empower them,” she warned.
She urged participants to use the insights, strategies, and experiences shared during the review to strengthen collective resolve, share successes and challenges, and drive transformative change across Oyo State and Nigeria.
In his remarks, UNICEF Child Protection Specialist (Lagos Field Office), Mr. Denis Onoise, called on CSOs to intensify their efforts towards achieving the complete eradication of FGM well before the 2030 global target.
The Executive Director of Trailblazer Initiative Nigeria, Dr. Dare Olagoke-Adaramoye, outlined the organisation’s achievements so far, which include: Training and engaging 40 community facilitators; Enrolling 3,900 adolescent girls in life-skills programmes and girls’ clubs; Mobilising 7,800 women and girls to lead FGM abandonment campaigns; Rescuing 199 girls (aged 0-15) from FGM through active surveillance and advocacy; Engaging 400 religious and community leaders to publicly denounce FGM.
Mobilising 9,841 men and boys to promote positive masculinity; Facilitating reflective dialogue with 42,190 community members across humanitarian and development settings; Documenting 185,308 advocates for FGM elimination on UNICEF’s “Movement for Good” dashboard; Providing protection services to 37,111 women and girls; and Empowering 80 FGM survivors with advocacy skills and economic tools.
Dr. Olagoke-Adaramoye called for renewed action from all stakeholders to consolidate gains and strengthen community-based solutions to eradicate FGM and related abuses in Oyo State and beyond.
