On the 23rd of November 2016 the Absu Absu LawClinic held its first seminar after the relocation of Abia State University Faculty of Law to its permanent site located at P.M.B 7010 Ikot-ekpene Road Umudike, Umuahia. still battling with the relocation of its faculty organised a seminar on: FEMALE GENITAL  MUTILATION.
A resource person who is well grounded in this filed was invited to come and enlightening us about what FGM is all about. he is no other person than MR RAYMOND UKWA.
RAYMOND UKWA is well trained and grounded in what he does he has attended so many workshops and seminars on FGM. He is currently the chief consultant for TECH GLOBAL PET, SOCIAL CHANGE ADVOCATE FOR FGM UNICEF NIGERIA, AMBASSADOR AT THE GIRL GENERATION, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CHEIF STRATEGY CONSULTANT AT DEPEC GLOBAL RESOURCES, GIRL GENERATION BRAND AMBASSADOR, NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF PROJECTS NIGERIAN AT INTERNATIONAL YOUTH COUNCIL.
In his speech gave us a clear definition of "FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION". FGM is any partial removal or total removal of the external female genital or any other injury of the female genital organs for non medical reasons (WHO 1997).
In his speech he explained the four different types of FGM.
-TYPE 1:CLITORIDECTOMY: is the partial or total removal of the clitoris, in very rear cases only the prepuce (the fold of skin  surrounding the clitoris).
-TYPE 2: EXCISION: is the partial/removal of the Clitoris and the Labia minora with or without excision of the labia majora (the labia are the lips that surround the vagina).
-TYPE 3: INFIBULATION: This is the narrowing of the vaginal opening through the creation of a covering seal. The seal if formed by cutting and repositioning the inner, or outer labia with or without removal of clitoris.
-TYPE 4: ALL OTHER HARMFUL PROCEDURES FOR NON MEDICAL REASONS.
-FGM is carried out on young girls between infancy and age 15 and occasionally on adult women. In Africa, over 3million girls are estimated to be at risk for FGM  annually, more than 125million girls and women alive today have been cut in the 29countries in Africa and Middle East where FGM is concentrated.
THE SITUATION OF FGM IN NIGERIA:
-Prevalence of girls and woman aged 15-49years who have undergone FGM in Nigeria is 27%.
-Nigeria has the 3rd highest absolute number of girls who have undergone FGM worldwide (after Egypt and Ethiopia).
-19.9million Nigerian women have undergone FGM approximately 16% of the 125million FGM survivors worldwide are Nigerians most prevalent among yoruba women (55%), followed by igbo women (45%).
THE QUESTION IS WHY DO PEOPLE DO THIS?
-To ensure that a woman remains a virgin until marriage
-Most communities believe that if external female genitals are cut off ( the clitoris or labia or both) are unclean.
-It is a right of passage in some counties FGM is the part of the ritual that a lady undergoes to be considered a woman.
-In some countries a girl or a woman is cut in other to be suitable for marriage.
-It is believed that when a woman is mutilated it increases sexual pleasure for the me (this is more prevalent in EGYPT).
HOW DOES FGM AFFECT GIRLS OR WOMANS HEALTH IN THE LONG TERM:
-INFECTION (SUCH AS GENITAL ABSCESS).
-DEPRATION & ANXIETY.
-PAINFUL AND PROLONGED MENSTRUAL PERIODS.
-URINARY PROBLEMS.
-VESICO VAGINAL FISTULA (VVF).
This can happen when the urethra or rectum is damaged during FGM. Fistula causes some many problems including odours and can cause girls and women to become SOCIAL OUTCASTS.
IS FGM AGAINST THE THE LAW?
The Federal law outlawing the practice of FGM in Nigeria.
THE VIOLENCE AGAINST PERSONS (PROHIBITION) ACT (VAPP),2015.
Only 8 States in Nigeria have adopted this Law in there local laws.
ABSU LAWCLINIC JOINS THE WORLD AT LARGE FOR CAMPAIGN AND PROTEST AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION.