Females genital mutilation is still a menace in the whole of Africa -Rita Anaba

Exclusive interview with Mrs Anaba Rita

My name is Anaba Rita from Abia State. I am a Public Health Nurse/ Midwife and Researcher.



What is your advice to young ladies out there?
My advice to young ladies out there is that women are the strenght of the world. Every woman should work hard to be independent in every area of life. This can only be achieved through proper girl-child education or by empowering women through entrepreneurship program. When a woman works hard and is financially independent. She will make the right choices in life and take appropriate decisions. Any girl who is lazy and looking for an already made man to marry is planning to be frustrated in marriage.

Do you think  Females genital mutilation has been totally eradicated? 
Females genital mutilation is still a menace in the whole of Africa due to our belief and cultural practices. It has consistently caused many complications to women dur

ing childbirth and has also contributed to maternal and newborn mortality in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. Female genital mutilation can be totally eradicated from our society if women will allow it. In most cultures in Africa female genital cutting is being perpetrated by women and this culture is passed on from one generation to another by our old women. Female genital cutting / mutilation, I can say is women inhumanity to women.

What is your veiw on sexual education, child marriage and  sexual abuse? Sex Education is one important responsibilities which parents neglect. Sex education should be commenced for a child from 5 years. A growing child should be given this education in a comprehensive way but in small bits at a time. Parents should not be shy to mention words like sex, penis, breast, vagina to their young child during sex education. Comprehensive sex education prepares a child very well for the days ahead. Parents especially mothers should know that when they fail to teach their child everything they should know that their peers will help to teach them in a wrong way.
Child  marriage is child abuse. Giving a girl out in marriage at a tender age means destroying the destiny of the child and should be prohibited.

How can you forge a more gender-balance world?
 Forging a more gender- balanced world  entails having a world where governments, boardrooms, media coverage,  professional arena, business, sharing of wealth, sharing of inheritance, class room, science and research, and all human activities and endeavours are gender-balanced. That is having a good number of women in positions of authority. A gender- balanced world is a peaceful and prosperous world.