The StopCut Project Conference

The Why

The United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, observed on November 25th, aims to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls by raising awareness of the fact that women all over the globe are subjected to diverse forms of violence. It also emphasizes the extent and nature of violence against women and amplifies the voices of survivors of such acts. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is one form of such violence. It involves the total or partial removal of the external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. In Nigeria, over 20 million women and girls have been exposed to this inhumane practice, with many more at risk. These women battle with this harmful, and sometimes life-threatening, consequences of FGM, such as complications during delivery, painful sex, and bleeding.

The What

In commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the StopCut Project will be hosting a press conference to launch the report on the state of our laws on FGM and the StopCut documentary. The event will be hosted physically and virtually and will bring together key stakeholders to discuss current progress in ending FGM, existing barriers, available opportunities and required strategies towards ending FGM by 2030. The event will also host panel discussions to further explore the realities of female genital mutilation and also listen to the experiences of survivors.
The event will launch:

The StopCut Documentary: The StopCut documentary provides more insight into the impact of FGM practice on the health and wellbeing of survivors, as well as gaps in the enforcement of laws and reporting of FGM cases.
Report on FGM/C Laws in Nigeria: The report highlights the gaps in the of Oyo, Osun, and Ekiti states FGM/C laws and proffers recommendations based to bridge those gaps.

Research Study Report: This is the result of the research study conducted to provide data on public awareness of current FGM/C policies, policy enforcement, knowledge, prevalence, and contributing factors for FGM/C in local communities in Oyo, Osun and Ekiti state.