The wife of the Ebonyi State Governor, Mrs Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, has said that the prevalent rate of Female Genital Mutilation, FGM, has dropped by 54% in Ebonyi State.

Mrs. Nwifuru made the disclosure during a road walk to commemorate the 2025 International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting. The event was organized by the Governor’s wife’s pet project, ‘Better Health for Rural Women, Children, and Internally Displaced (BERWO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs and other development partners.

During the road walk, the wife of the Governor, represented by the Team Leader of BERWO, Mrs. Nkechi Echiegu, said the cultural menace had reduced drastically and thanked development partners for their collaborative efforts.

Speaking on the theme “Stepping up the Pace: Strengthening Alliances and Building Movements to End FGM,” the wife of the Governor called on traditional rulers, stakeholders, and birth attendants to work collectively to achieve zero tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Felicia Nwankpuma, represented by her Head of Department, Mrs Roseline Orji, stated that joint alliances with community and religious leaders would help reduce the harmful practice.

UNFPA representative Kosarachi Nwite and the Coordinator of the Gender-Based Violence Taskforce, Mrs. Faithvin Nwanchor, promised their commitment to ensuring the continuous decline of FGM, describing it as a severe violation of human rights affecting women and girls.

However, offenders of this harmful cultural practice have been advised to desist to avoid being prosecuted under the State Violence Against Persons Prohibition law.