1. Traditional rulers have proven to be crucial stakeholders to led the campaign to end FGM in Nigeria, as group gatekeepers in the local environment. #endcuttinggirls
2.In general, most movements that have effectively modified unhealthy cultures/ traditions and social norms in the past have benefited from traditional rulers' vital power in the local setting in one way or the other. #endcuttinggirls
3.For example, most communities in Nigeria that has publicly declared the abandonment of FGM, a thorough investigation will always reveal that traditional rulers led the process. #endcuttinggirls
4. Based on this, our Twitter conference today will look at Promoting Community-led engagement to end FGM in Nigeria: The Role of Traditional Rulers. #EndCuttingGirls
5. Before we proceed, we will have a look at the Overview of FGM for those hearing FGM for the first time. #endcuttinggirls
6. FGM refers to any procedure that involves “partial or total removal of the external female genitals, or the other injury to the feminine genital organs for non-medical reasons.” #endcuttinggirls
7. There are different types of FGM, several of which involve more radical excisions within the genital area than others. #endcuttinggirls
8. FGM has 4 types, Clitoridectomy; Excision; Infibulation; & Unclassified (e.g. “pressing” the clitoris with hot water) #endcuttinggirls
9. The origin and significance of FGM practice are shrouded in secrecy, uncertainty and fraught with controversy either as an initiation ceremony of young girls into womanhood or to preserve virginity and curb promiscuity, or to guard female modesty and chastity. #endcuttinggirls
10. FGM demonstrates deep-rooted gender inequalities and constitutes an extreme sort of discrimination against women. it's also a significant violation of the rights of girls’ health, security, integrity, dignity, and freedom. #endcuttinggirls
@28TooMany
@GirlsNotBrides
@28TooMany
@GirlsNotBrides
11. FGM isn't required by any religion and there's no scientific evidence that women who are mutilated are more faithful or better wives than those that haven't undergone the procedure. #endcuttinggirls
@UN_Women
@UNICEF_Nigeria
@UN_Women
@UNICEF_Nigeria
12. It is therefore very clear that there's no single benefit derived from FGM and possible medical complications include but not limited to severe bleeding, cysts, infections, difficulty urinating, issues with childbirth and even death. #endcuttinggirls
@GPtoEndFGM
@GPtoEndFGM
13. For more information about basic facts about FGM, visit endcuttinggirls.org Also had best to follow the handle “Endcuttinggirls Nigeria’’ on all social media platforms for constant updates about the #EndFGM campaign. #endcuttinggirls
15. The Elimination of FGM by 2030 is high on the international agenda, enshrined as target 5.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). #endcuttinggirls
@Fmohnigeria
@Fmohnigeria
16.Efforts to eliminate FGM are embraced by Governments at the Regional and sub-regional level, the media, and increasing civil society and social movements. #endcuttinggirls
@Fmohnigeria
@Fmohnigeria
17.However, approaches to end the social norms on FGM have evolved to reflect new learnings. more must be done to deal with the deeply held myths and beliefs in these communities. #endcuttinggirls
18. In many parts of Nigeria, FGM is protected by deep-seated perceptions embedded in the culture #endcuttinggirls
19. Additionally, traditional rulers and custodians of culture have a lot of power, influence, and authority in their communities that their cooperation and participation in changing the established order in their communities is non-negotiable. #endcuttinggirls
20. As the stewards of traditional rites of passage, these community gatekeepers are responsible for preserving these rites, cultural values and norms from one generation to another. #endcuttinggirls
21. Traditional rulers, being the key decision-makers in these communities, any campaign to eliminate any social norm without factoring them into the method will yield little or no or positive result. #endcuttinggirls
22. Based on strict recognition and compliance to the above-stated facts, traditional rulers across Nigeria have done such a lot and are still doing great within the campaign to Eliminate FGM in various FGM practising communities across the country. #endcuttinggirl
23. It's going to be surprising, however, that traditional ruler who should be custodians of culture are today being celebrated for haven contributed and still contributing significantly to eliminate FGM in Nigeria. #endcuttinggirls
24. Bearing in mind that FGM is seen as cultural a practice in most communities where harmful practice is performed. #endcuttinggirls
25. Importantly, there are modalities for engaging traditional rulers within the campaign to eliminate FGM if we must accelerate change. #endcuttinggirls
26. To get a community to abandon a social norm, one must seek to ascertain and understand that practice from the community’s perspective. #endcuttinggirls
27. As we understood, within the case of FGM, most persons who cut their daughters in various communities do this out of affection and ignorance of the practice. #endcuttinggirls
28. It is easier to dialogue with the community and obtain their cooperation once they understand from the onset that nobody has come to outrightly condemn their culture. #endcuttinggirls
29. They will however be told that a number of these cultural practices which FGM may be a typical example are harmful and will be abandoned, citing the risks of FGM to women, girls, their families and communities. #endcuttinggirls
30. When the traditional rulers are already convinced of the risks of FGM and therefore the need for its abandonment, they're going to also open the community gate to the new knowledge. #endcuttinggirls
31. The traditional rulers themselves will also work with the leadership structure in their community like the women, men, youth, age grades and development union leaders to disseminate the new knowledge. #endcuttinggirls
32. With the assistance and consent of traditional rulers, it'll even be easier for various stakeholders working on ending FGM to access the larger community members, teaching them the harmful implications of FGM and therefore the need for its abandonment. #endcuttinggirls
33. Usually, it'll take consistent and several other community dialogues with the traditional rulers, custodians of culture and other critical stakeholders within the community to convinced them to expunge FGM from their tradition. #endcuttinggirls
34. This chain of community dialogue will continue until a threshold is reached and therefore the community decides to return out together at some point to publicly declare the abandonment of FGM in their land. #endcuttinggirls
35. The beauty of public declaration is that from the day a community takes that wonderful decision, they need also to take ownership of the campaign. #endcuttinggirls
36. For instance, most of those communities that have taken this decision have also additionally inaugurated local surveillance committees that monitor compliance. #endcuttinggirls
37. And in a case where anyone is caught still indulging in the practice, the community has stipulated sanctions that the person will face. #endcuttinggirls
38. So, with the community gradually owning up to the campaign, led by the Traditional rulers, the practice of FGM will gradually and completely be eliminated from that community. #endcuttinggirls
39. Overall, the method of expunging FGM from a community is typically an extended process, with traditional rulers as critical and essential drivers of this process. #endcuttinggirls
40. Additionally, the thought of community ownership of the #EndFGM campaign will remain a mirage without the essential involvement of traditional rulers to lead the Campaign. #endcuttinggirls
41. A key takeaway is that, too often, governmental, and non-governmental interventions intended to assist girls at risk of FGM in the past have isolated elders and overlooked the worth of community-led solutions. #endcuttinggirls
42. It is very expedient to notice that in communities around the world where people have openly declared to #endFGM, it's been led by the traditional rulers/custodians of culture. #endcuttinggirls
43. Instances, where collaboration with custodians of culture have paid off handsomely within the #endFGM campaign across Nigeria, are mentioned in the next tweets:- #endcuttinggirls
44. On 19th June 2017, traditional rulers & the custodians “Ishiukes” of custom in the Izzi clan, Ebonyi State, Nigeria led a historic massive #endFGM Pubic Declaration. This was the first of its kind within the country. Watch video:- #endcuttinggirls
45. Apart from the historic Izzi public declaration, more have also happened in other states across the state such as: ... #endcuttinggirls
50. During these events, the custodians noted that they made their decision based on the enlightenment they received on the health implications of the practice on women and girls. #endcuttinggirls
51. It is worthy to notice that places that have properly factored in traditional rulers & custodians of custom in the campaign to end FGM is yielding results. #endcuttinggirls
52. #endFGM public declaration/affirmation refers to “formal public ceremonies involving one or more communities— #endcuttinggirls
52b. typically villages, but increasingly also districts and ethnos that participate in an occasion where they manifest, through their representatives, the precise commitment to abandon FGM”. #endcuttinggirls
53. A public declaration is therefore a flash of broad social recognition, which shows that the majority support abandonment of FGM, and presumably will abandon the practice. #endcuttinggirls
54a. When traditional rulers & custodians of culture lead this public declaration, it doesn't necessarily mean that the declaring community is henceforth free from FGM, anyway... #endcuttinggirls
54b. But it surely represents a milestone within the process of abandonment because it signals the change in social expectations and sets the tone for the reversal of the FGM trend in such communities. #endcuttinggirls
55. In many a part of Nigeria, traditional rulers & custodians of custom are next to the gods. they're seen to be infallible and know what’s good for their people. #endcuttinggirls
56. To this end, we must appreciate and celebrate the critical role traditional rulers & custodians of culture are playing and are still playing to Eliminate FGM from their various communities. #endcuttinggirls
57. In many other cutting communities across Nigeria where #endFGM public declarations are yet to be recorded, various collaborative efforts with traditional rulers & custodians of culture are interestingly leading to community-level #endFGM dialogues. #endcuttinggirls
58. These dialogues have helped community members to talk openly about FGM and end the culture of silence around the practice. #endcuttinggirls
59. It must be said that the culture of silence has been one of the most important challenges in Eliminating FGM. A situation where people who are cut don't dare to share their pains. #endcuttinggirls
60. Getting the custodians of culture and traditional rulers to become #endFGM advocates have given the EndFGM message “strong credibility” and have helped in drumming wider support from members of various cutting communities to end the practice. #endcuttinggirls
61. Also, introducing alternative rites of passage is within the ambit of traditional rulers & custodians of custom as lawmakers. #endcuttinggirls
62. When our traditional rulers & custodians of custom function as law enforcers, they assist make sure that community members respect the community and country’s law. #endcuttinggirls
63. When it involves changing a social norm in any community little or no success may ever be possible if traditional rulers in such settings are undermined. #endcuttinggirls
64. Therefore, traditional rulers must be essentially engaged until FGM completely becomes a thing of the past in Nigeria. #endcuttinggirls
65. Going forward, efforts should therefore be tailored towards engaging community leadership and leveraging on culture and traditions to end FGM. #endcuttinggirls
66. Premised on the understanding that community-led solutions where local actors are fully engaged and approached with cultural sensitivity and respect will take us faster to our destination in the #endFGM campaign. #endcuttinggirls
67. As we lend our voices and support the global effort to end FGM, we must note that our traditional rulers hold the key to eliminate this harmful practice from all cutting communities. #endcuttinggirls
68. We must continue to celebrate all traditional rulers to have used their capacity to advance this noble cause as well as continue to seek collaboration with others who are yet to sign up to the campaign. #endcuttinggirls
69. Thanks for being part of our conversations today. Join us every other Thursday 5-7pm. Visit our website endcuttinggirls.org and kindly follow the handle “Endcuttinggirls Nigeria’’ on all social media platforms. #endcuttinggirls
70. It’s time to hear and respond to your questions and/or opinions based on the conference. Keep them coming. #endcuttinggirls
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