Report FGM cases, residents told
SINGIDA: MEMBERS of the public in Singida district have been urged to report any incidents of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in their communities to enable prompt action against perpetrators.
The call was made by Mr Sospeter Maigo, Social Welfare Officer from Singida District Council, during a public awareness event held at an open-air market in Ughandi Village. The event aimed to educate the public about the harmful effects of FGM and mobilise collective efforts to eliminate the practice.
Mr Maigo emphasised that timely and accurate reports from community members would greatly aid efforts to curb the cruel and inhumane practice.
“Besides being a form of humiliation to women and girls, FGM is a serious violation of human rights and poses significant physical and psychological health risks,” he noted.
He warned that although FGM is still practised in secrecy, it remains a criminal offence under Tanzanian law and those found involved will face severe legal consequences.
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Mr Maigo also criticised women for being complicit in perpetuating FGM, claiming that many continue to perform the procedure in secret, often without the knowledge or consent of their spouses. He outlined the severe consequences of FGM, including permanent damage to the female genitalia, increased susceptibility to infections including HIV/AIDS and in some cases, death due to excessive bleeding.
Other long-term effects include chronic pain, reduced sexual desire, complications during childbirth and prolonged postpartum bleeding.
According to Mr Maigo, the persistence of FGM is rooted in outdated traditions, religious misconceptions, a desire to uphold family honour and societal expectations.
He urged the public to report FGM cases either through local leadership structures or via the national child protection helpline by dialling 116, to allow relevant authorities to take appropriate action.
Speaking at the same event, Ms Shukrani Mbago, a Social Welfare Officer at the Singida Regional Referral Hospital, said young girls remain the most vulnerable to FGM, as they lack the agency to refuse the procedure.
She added that the psychological trauma from undergoing FGM at a young age can have lasting effects, particularly as victims grow older and realise the procedure was carried out without their consent.
Some unmarried boys interviewed during the event expressed a preference for marrying girls who had not undergone FGM, though they declined to elaborate on their reasons.
