While reaching the age of puberty is a thing of joy to many female children, ‘puberty is pain’ for many others, especially those born in Pygba Sama, Kpaduma and other indigenous communities in Abuja, parts of Niger State, and the Camerounian communities of Cross River State.
Their source of pain is the barbaric act called breast ironing.
Carried out by the girls’ relatives — grandmother, mother, sister, aunty or any female guardian — in secrecy, and sometimes, as part of the traditional initiation rites of the girl child into puberty stage of life, investigations revealed that any girl that did not pass through this drill is at the mercy of the local predators, and most times, isolated from other girls of her age. The mother will also be ridiculed for encouraging indecency.
However, the United Nations recent data put young women that have been breast ironed at 3.8 million. The agency said the practice is one of the five under-reported gender-based crimes. The United Nations Fund for Population Activities disclosed that breast ironing, an unhealthy practice, is also carried out in African countries like Chad, Benin, Togo, Guinea Bissau, South Africa, Guinea-Conakry, among others.For Madam Fadimatu Danasabe, whose niece had just suffered from this bitter tradition, breast ironing is one of the ills carried out by women against the girl child.
According to Danasabe, traditional Kpaduma women believe that men are easily attracted to the budding breasts of young girls, and because of this, they sexually abuse them, stressing that the local women had to adapt breast flattening as a measure to save their girls from harassment, including early or under-aged marriage.
She added: “This practice is antithesis to the well-being of the female child. It is one of the practices that demean the girl child and put the boy child as being superior. It is killing and women organisations should rise against it.” Recalling her experience, Madam Helen Offiong, an indigene of Cross River State, whose breasts were ironed twice, while she was 11 and 14, disclosed that she almost lost faith in marriage while growing up because her two breasts were as small as a toddler’s fist with scare that looked like a cobweb on her chest.
Omo-Emevor disclosed that the instruments used to carry out the operation may not be sterilised and the after effect of the operation might expose the girls to infection, abscesses, tissue damage and dissymmetry of the breasts, saying the operation could affect the glandular tissue, which is that part of the breasts that produces milk and may make the girls to find it difficult to produce milk when they give birth.
Frowning at the practice, Omo-Emevor said breast flattening could as well cause breast tissue damage and the production of poisonous breast milk, which is dangerous to the newborn. “New ducts are formed when babies are born and once no damage is done on the areola region, lactation or breastfeeding might not be affected, so the girls can still have their babies and lead a normal life,” he said.Only recently, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Pygba community in the FCT for the immediate stoppage of the practice in the community and its environs.
Ocheche, therefore, wants government to begin the implementation of punishment for those that have contravene the VAPP Act. “These women are expressing their bitterness through this unwholesome practice without knowing that their weapon of change is detrimental to the health, social and even psychological well-being of their girls. So, while checking this practice, government should as well check the under laying causes,” he said.
For Opeyemi Olawale Owosibo, a sociologist and human capital development expert, people’s perceptions of individuals are influenced by a variety of factors, including cultural and societal norms, adding that while breast ironing is a harmful practice predominantly found in certain regions, it is important to recognise that girls who have not undergone this practice should not be judged or perceived differently based on this factor.
Winners have emerged at the Guardian Woman Festival Seven Wonder Women Awards held last weekend at the Federal palace hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Zamfara State Governor Declares State of Emergency in EducationGovernor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, prioritizes education to improve the state's education ranking.
Read more »
Insecurity: 16 state governors back establishment of state policeSixteen state governors have submitted reports expressing their support for establishing state police to the National Economic Council. This was revealed in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Vice President on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, on Thursday.
Read more »
Former Kwara State Governor Granted Bail for Alleged Misappropriation of State FundsJustice Evelyn Anyadike grants bail to former Kwara State governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, who was arraigned by the EFCC for alleged misappropriation of state funds. Ahmed pleads not guilty and is granted bail in the sum of N50 million with stringent conditions.
Read more »
Ekiti Forestry Commission destroys 20 hectares of hemp plantation in Ise Forest ReserveEkiti State Forestry Commission has said it is fully committed to actualizing its mandate of reducing the rate of deforestation in the State and combatting illegalities in the state forest reserves.
Read more »
Otti signs law stripping former Abia governors, deputies of pensionsAbia State governor, Alex Otti, has assented to the Abia State of Nigeria Governors and Deputy Governors Pension Repeal Law of 2024 recently passed by the Abia State House of Assembly.
Read more »
Ebonyi govt wade into Abaomege, Ishinkwor 111 years land dispute warThe Ebonyi State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Dr Ben Odoh, has expressed the readiness of the state government to restore peace to all warring communities in Ebonyi State.
Read more »