Female genital mutilation/cutting: Knowledge,practice and experiences of secondary schoolteachers in North Central Nigeria (2015)
This study is a Descriptive research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics:
Author(s): AS Adeniran,AA Fawole,OR Balogun,MA Ijaiya,KT Adesina,IP Adeniran
FGM/C Type(s): All
Health area of focus: None.
Objective: To determine the experience of schoolteachers about FGM/C and their possible role in contributing to its eradication.
Study Population: secondary schoolteachers from 18 secondary schools in Ilorin,North Central Nigeria
Findings: More females than males were aware of FGM/C (205 v. 94; χ2 41.2; p=0.001); 180 women (69.8%) and 81 men (71.7%) wanted awareness and the implications of FGM/C to be taught in schools,while 46 women (17.8%) and 23 men (20.4%) had previously educated students about FGM/C. Also,109 (42.3%) of the female teachers had been mutilated (mean (standard deviation) age 4.76 (4.86) years),and 49 mutilations (45.0%) had been performed by traditional circumcisers. Of the teachers,44.0% of men and 24.5% of women had subjected their daughters to FGM/C (p=0.029),mostly for religious reasons. The men initiated the majority of their daughters’ mutilations,while the mothers-in-law were the main initiators among the women; 44 (17.0%) women and 23 (20.4%) men held the opinion that females should be circumcised,while the majority considered education and legislation to be the most important interventions to encourage its eradication. Predictors of the likelihood to support discontinuation of FGM/C included awareness of government policy about FGM/C and having a mutilated daughter.The study concluded that education,reorientation and motivation of teachers would position them as agents for eradicating FGM/C.
Geographical coverage
Region(s):Western Africa
Country(ies):Nigeria