By Busayo Soyebo,
Report of Media Outreach and school sensitization on Ending FGM in Osun State, in Commemoration of the 2021 International Day of the Girl with the theme: “DIGITAL GENERATION, OUR GENERATION.”
Media Project Objectives:
- To commemorate 2021 International Day of the Girl
- To empower young adolescent girls with life-building skills on SGBV and FGM prevention
- To further increase public awareness on FGM abandonment, the short and long-time effects of through Media.
Summary:
International Day of the Girl Child is a day to remember the value and importance of every girl child, we cannot exclude them, we are celebrating them. In commemorating the International Day of the girl, Building the capacity of girls on SGBV, FGM, life-building skills and other issues affecting girls will go a long way to shape the future of girls and society. Two hundred girls from different communities were selected for this activity.
Media coverage: A journalist from Splash FM 106.7 was on the ground to cover the event and aired it on the radio.
Production and airing of jingle: This was used to create awareness of the international day of the Girls and the reason behind the celebration even before the day of the commemoration. There was also a later a 1-hour live program: This live program hosted a Girl child advocate, FGM activist, and a FGM survivor
Schools Sensitisation:
200 selected adolescent girls across 5 secondary schools in Abeokuta Ogun State, were trained on life-building skills so that they can be equipped with necessary skills and information on the prevention of SGBV and FGM.
Different topics ie Values Clarifications, Self Esteem, Assertiveness, Goal Settings, Overview of FGM, Peer Educator, Management of Menstrual Hygiene, etc. was facilitated by the facilitators. After the training, the participants all agreed to take up the role of peer educator to educate their peers on issues of SGBV and FGM.
The girls were trained on personal hygiene and proper use of pads
Questions asked:
If FGM is an offense, why are our parents in support of it?
Is there any solution for someone who has already undergone FGM?
Some families believe FGM must be done for their girl child how do we educate them
If they decide to mutilate their girl child; how can I get evidence to convince them of the negative effects of FGM?
Why do girls experience menstrual cramps?
Uncut girls will always experience itching in their private parts?
Uncut girls are promiscuous?
All questions were answered by the facilitators. At the end of the training, the participants were given free sanitary pads
