Features
Putting an end to cross-border FGM practice… The role of advocates for girls’ protection
Hajia Nadia Abaas IV
Advocacy is a powerful tool that can be used to cause positive change in society by putting poli¬cy makers on their toes to discharge their duties satisfactorily.
Over the years, many advocates have used their voices to expose the rot in society and in the process saved thousands of lives.
In this same way, advocates for women and girls protection in Ghana can help fight Female Genital Mutila¬tion (FGM) to protect young girls from the devastating implication of the practice.
FGM, the practice of altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons, is a deeply-root-ed cultural practice that continues to haunt many regions across Africa.
Despite efforts to eradicate the menace from Ghana, recent reports have revealed that young girls are taken to nearby countries like Burki¬na Faso to undergo the inhumane act before they are brought back to their respective families.
This calls for firmer action to be taken against this cross-border act to save victims.
It is good to know that the laws against the practice of FGM are well enforced, however if the purpose for the enforcement were not achieved, the whole motive of fighting FGM to protect our young girls will be lost.
Dealing with this danger of cross-border FGM would require wom¬en centered Non-Governmental Organ-isations (NGOs), advocates for girls’ protection, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and all well-meaning Ghanaians and Africans at large, to rise up and speak against the practice.
Speaking exclusively to The Spec¬tator, women empowerment advo¬cate, Hajia Nadia Abbas (IV) bemoaned the implication of such practices on young girls, and called on governments and international organisations to collaborate to create awareness pro¬grammes in affected regions.
According to her, cross-border collaboration among countries that encourage FGM was crucial, adding that governments must work together to exchange information, coordinate action and harmonise legislation to en¬sure that culprits do not escape legal consequences.
She indicated that religious and traditional leaders must also come out in their numbers to discourage actions that harm girls.
“We must call for the participation of all well-meaning members of the public in speaking against all forms of violence against humanity, includ¬ing this dangerous practice that is a human right violation.”
“I strongly believe that when everybody becomes an advocate for positive change, good results can be realised quickly,” she added.
Furtherance to that, she noted that men could join in the advocacy for the rights of women and work towards gender equity.
Hajia Nadia Abbas (IV) confirmed that she heard stories of young girls who were taken out of the country to neighbouring countries for them to un¬dergo FGM mainly because the police in those areas were on the look-out for culprits for such ill practices.
Advocates for women and girls’ rights stated that the fact that FGM had become a thing of the past in Ghana, did not mean authorities should relax; “We must be alert and arrest persons seen forcing girls out of the country for the barbaric act to be carried out on them. We must ensure we join forces with all our neighbour¬ing countries to put a permanent stop to this menace.”
Hajia Nadia Abbas (IV) who is also the Founder of Nadisco Foundation, a women centered NGO indicated that, when young girls are made aware about the severe health implication of FGM, which include urinary problems, complications during child birth and even death, they would stand up for themselves and report family mem¬bers who threaten to force them to undergo FGM.
MEN MUST JOIN THE FIGHT TO END FGM
On the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM which was marked in February 2023, the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) called for partnership with men to join the fight against FGM.
When men join the fight against practices that affect women negative¬ly, success would be easily achieved, leading to an understanding that women and young girls also deserve to be respected and cherished.
By joining the fight against FGM, men demonstrate their commitment to their loved ones. Men can also challenge these harmful norms and attitudes by openly opposing FGM and promoting alternative practices that respect and uphold the rights of wom¬en and girls.
UNFPA’S REPORT ON FGM
The UNFPA has estimated that more than 200 million girls and women globally have undergone some form of FGM.
It also estimates 68 million girls are at risk of being mutilated be¬tween 2015 and 2030. A more recent study further revealed an additional two million girls to be at risk of this harmful practice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Further projections by the UNFPA showed that 4.3 million girls, world¬wide, this year remain at risk of FGM.
According to the UNFPA, this number is likely to reach 4.6 million by 2030, as conflict, climate change, rising poverty and inequality contin¬ued to hinder efforts to transform gender and social norms that underpin this harmful practice and disrupt pro¬grammes that help protect girls.
These revelations prove that all hands are needed on deck to save women and girls from this barbaric human rights violation.
The fight cannot be won if trans-border FGM practices were not checked.
By Raissa Sambou
THE state of feeling rejected, could be a terrifying experience especially for those who have become used to fame. If not properly addressed, it could lead to depression and the consequences, could be disastrous.
When you are on top of your game in whatever profession you find yourself such that you become famous, a lot of people try to associate with you. The phone never ceases to ring and one is tempted to feel loved and very important.
When a disaster strikes and the fame or the money which was the source of the attraction fades away, the circle of friends and fans begin to shrink and the phone will start to stop ringing until the call stops voting completely.
You will be shocked at how people you considered friends, will no longer be calling you or pay casual visits as they used to. You will begin to notice that messages you leave after calling them and not getting a response are not replied to and that is when you begin to know who your true friends are.
One of the most popular movie stars was an actress called Sharon Stone. In an interview with one of the media houses that was published, she spoke about how people who should have come around to encourage her in her moment of depression, shunned her. The calls stopped coming.
This is what the Bible admonishes that the arm of flesh will fail you and therefore we should put our trust in God. It could be a very frightening experience and can easily lead to depression.
Human nature being what it is, people will want to get close if things are okay. Everybody wants to associate themselves with interesting things, famous people, rich people etc for mainly selfish reasons.
We need to develop the habit of putting our trust in God and relying less on human beings. The lesson we have to take along in life is that, no one marries his or her enemy so how come people who took vows that they will love each other become so hostile to each other that they want to go their separate ways in life? Such is the reality of life.
It is therefore prudent for people to recognise that, life is full of uncertainties and so there is the need to prepare your mind for uncertainties so that when they occur, they do not disorganise your mental sanity.
A lot of people have experienced situations where people who they could have sworn will never betray their trust have disappointed them when they were through challenging moments.
If there is one thing famous people should desire, it should be the ability to identify who are true friends are. Countless stories abound regarding incidence of celebrities who have lost their shine and their wives divorcing them soon after.
It is sometimes useful as a famous or rich person to sign a prenuptial agreement before marriage to safeguard or protect yourself from any future unpleasant surprises.
People can be very pretentious these days, it goes both ways. There is this real life story where a man married a divorced wealthy woman and convinced her to sell her house so they could build a new one together, with the excuse that people are gossiping that he is being housed by a woman.
The woman agreed and they put up a new building. After a few years the man asked for a divorce, only for the woman to realise that the land on which the building was situated, was bought in the man’s name.
This can drive a person insane, if you are not mentally tough and this happens to you. When people hear that you are homeless, a lot of your so-called friends will stop calling, so that you do not become a burden on them.
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
‘But, er …. I don’t even know your name’.
‘Paul. Paul Allotey. I’m Sarah, by the way. Paul, why don’t you leave me here, since this is the last important thing I’m doing today’.
‘Okay. Now Sarah. I was just thinking. You will be here at the cafe for about an hour. By then it will be about twelve thirty. Then, you would be thinking of buying yourself some lunch, to eat here or to take home. So if you would please allow me, I will take you to one of the nicest eating places in town, and after you have sorted that one out, then I can drop you home. Just that one errand, then I won’t bother you again’.
‘You are not bothering me at all. You are being very kind to me. And I just realised you are a mind reader too. The last item on my agenda was lunch’.
‘I’m so glad I appeared at your doorstep, just in time’.
‘Okay. Now Paul, since you say the cafe is a comfortable place, let’s go in together, and you can do your work while I get my application done’.
‘Okay, Sarah. Thanks. Let’s go’.
We got back in the car at eleven forty-five.
‘So where are we going, Paul?’
‘To Royalty restaurant. It’s a twenty minute drive away’.
‘So, do you enjoy your job?’
‘Most certainly. I won’t change it, not even to be President. And am I right to say that you are preparing to enter the university?’
‘That’s my plan. I hope it works’.
‘It will, if you are determined, and disciplined. You look very much like a disciplined person’.
‘Thank you very much’.
We arrived at Royalty in twenty-five minutes, ‘You are joining me for lunch, Paul’.
‘Thanks for the honour, Sarah. But the bill is on me’.
‘Aren’t you taking on too much for one day?’
‘I never do anything that is bigger than me, Sarah’.
Over the next hour and a half, we discussed fashion, local and international politics, and sports, as we ate and relaxed. Finally, he drove me to the shop.
‘I will never forget you, Paul’.
‘I’m glad to have been helpful. But if you don’t mind, I’ll say it again, your husband is extremely lucky. You are really beautiful’.
‘Thanks again. But do you mind if I call you sometime in the future?’
‘Certainly not. Let me write it here. I will not ask for your number, for obvious reasons. But I will be looking forward to hearing from you. And hopefully, I will see you next month, when I call to drop your bill’.
‘Okay Paul. See you then’. What a lovely day, I said to myself as I opened the front door. I closed the shop and got home by seven. I went straight to the bedroom, stood in the mirror and took a good look at myself. ‘You are a very beautiful woman, Sarah. Never forget that’. I will not forget that, again.
Over the next several weeks, Martin and I had very little to do with each other. In the morning he ate his breakfast and after a shabby ‘I’m going’, he left. He came home around eight at the earliest, ate his dinner and, already soaked in beer, went off to sleep.
He spent the greater part of the weekends at the club house with his friends, playing tennis and partying. My mind was focused on furthering my education, so I didn’t complain to him, and didn’t bother to inform my parents about what was happening. I had decided that I would only take action if he lifted his hand against me again. I spent my free time reading all manner of interesting stuff on the internet, and chatting with my sister on WhatsApp.
One evening, he came home at about eight, rushed to the bedroom and rushed out. An envelope, obviously containing money, dropped out of his pocket, and I picked it up and followed him. I was going to call him and give it to him, but I noticed that there was a young woman in the car, so I went back in, counted it and put it in a drawer in the hall. He came back after some ten minutes.
‘Excuse me, I dropped an envelope containing money. You must have seen it’.
‘Yes, I saw it. Actually, I followed you, and was about to call you and hand it over to you when I realised that there was a woman in the car, so I came back in. I counted it. One thousand cedis.
‘Well let me have it. I have to be going’.
‘I will let you have it if you will tell me who the woman in the car is, and why you are going to give her that amount of money’.
‘Listen, if you waste my time, I will teach you a lesson you will never forget. Give me the money now!’
‘Here’s what we will do, Martin. I know you will give money to her anyway, so I will give it to you, if you will withdraw the threat you just issued. But I want you to know that I will be taking some steps from tomorrow. Things are getting out of hand’.
‘Okay, I’m sorry I threatened you. Can you please give me the money’. I handed it over to him, and he ran out’.
The following morning, I waited for him to finish having breakfast, and told him I wanted to have a word with him urgently.
‘You better be quick. You know I’m going to work’.
‘Well, I want to inform you that I will inform my parents, and your parents, about the situation in this house. As I said yesterday, things are getting out of hand. You spend most of your time drinking. You get drunk every evening, and through the weekend. And you are also spending your time and money on a prostitute’.
‘How dare you? One more stupid word from you …’
‘Am I lying, Martin? You have just started life, yet you are behaving like a rich, elderly man who has already seen his children through university, and can afford a life of fun. As I said, I’m going to inform our parents. Maybe your parents can straighten you out before it is too late’.
‘Look, we can talk this evening. It’s nothing like what you are saying’. He walked away, shocked.
That evening, I was expecting to have a meaningful discussion with him, but his mother called early in the evening to offer me some ‘advice’. Her son had called to say that certain developments at home were disturbing him so much that they were beginning to affect his work.
And, ‘as a loving mother to her daughter’, she was advising me to submit to my husband, and support him in prayer, and not ‘drive him from home’. Men would always be men, and she was telling me ‘from experience’ that no matter how much time Martin stayed away from home, he would always come home to me.
She had been a young wife before, so she understood the challenges I was facing. So I could be assured that if I followed her advice, all would be well. And, of course, she didn’t allow me to tell my side of the story.
Martin came home very late, and very drunk. And from the next morning, he carried on as before. With some hesitation, I called my dad and told him all that had gone on.
‘Well, my daughter. I’m not going to say “I told you so”. I was only trying to protect you. So here’s what we’ll do. Continue doing the best you can, and try not to give him any excuse to harm you, but if things continue to deteriorate, I will take you back.
A couple of days later, my cousin Dinah arrived in Accra from Brussels, having completed her medical course. With Martin’s agreement, I went to Koforidua and spent a couple of days. I spent most of the time chatting about her experiences in the US, but we also discussed my relationship with Martin, and she endorsed Dad’s decision to take action if Martin’s behaviour did not change after two weeks Elaine informed Mom and Dad. We endorsed Dad’s decision to take action if there was no change in two weeks.
Dinah returned with me to Takoradi. Her plan was to spend a couple of weeks, and return to Accra to be posted. I called Paul Allotey, and asked if he would meet her for lunch and, if possible, show her some interesting spots. Delighted, he suggested that we meet at Royalty the next day.
I told Martin about it, to remove any possibility of future disagreement over ‘going out with men’.
‘It’s fine with me’, he said, ‘if, of all the people who could show your sister round this town, you chose a borla man. Doesn’t that indicate the kind of person you are?’
‘ First of all, Martin’, I’ve spoken to him a few times, and he comes across as a decent guy, so I think it is rather unfortunate that you are writing him off when you don’t know him’.
By Ekow de Heer
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
