Date: 22 July, 2026
By Abraham Ovuoba
The Wife of the Ebonyi State Governor and Founder of Better Health for Rural Women, Children and Internally Displaced Foundation (BERWO), Mrs. Uzoamaka Mary-Maudaline Ogbonna Nwifuru, has called for renewed commitment towards the total elimination of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the state by 2030.
Mrs. Nwifuru made the call during the Ebonyi State Women’s Leadership Summit on the Elimination of FGM held at the Women Development Centre, Abakaliki, where she urged women leaders, traditional and religious leaders, as well as government officials, to intensify advocacy against the harmful practice.
She described FGM as a violation of the health, dignity and fundamental rights of girls, stressing that continued silence would allow the practice to persist.
“Behind every FGM case is a child whose voice was never heard and a woman who still bears physical or emotional scars from a practice handed down through generations,” she said.
The summit, organised by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration with BERWO through the Office of the Wife of the Governor, attracted government officials, religious leaders, civil society organisations, survivors of FGM, youth groups and other stakeholders.
Mrs. Nwifuru stressed that the campaign against FGM was not an attack on culture, but a deliberate move to protect girls and uphold values of dignity, compassion and respect for human life.
She commended UNFPA for its support in promoting maternal health, gender equality and the protection of women and girls in Ebonyi State, noting that the partnership with BERWO had continued to impact communities positively.
Representing UNFPA at the summit, Dr. Zubaida Abubakar, on behalf of Mrs. Muriel Mafico, praised Ebonyi State for recording one of Nigeria’s fastest declines in FGM prevalence, attributing the progress to the commitment of stakeholders, particularly the wife of the governor.
Earlier, the BERWO Lead Group Coordinator, Prof. (Mrs.) Nkechi Emma Echiegu, said the summit was aimed at strengthening grassroots mobilisation against FGM, urging participants to return to their communities and ensure that no girl is subjected to the practice.
A major highlight of the summit was the signing of a communiqué affirming that FGM has no benefit and pledging renewed efforts towards ending the practice across the state.
