Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in Nigeria: Any Abandonment yet?

Abstract

Introduction: Female circumcision also known as female genital mutilation/cutting has been in existence in certain parts of the world (mostly Africa) for a very long time. Frantic efforts have been on going to put a total stop to the traditional practice which is inimical to girls and women health but without success.
Objective: Data from a cross-sectional sample of women interviewed for domestic violence from Nigeria were used to examine the prevalence of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) between two generations (mothers and their daughters) and examine the socio-economic and demographic determinants of FGM/C status of daughters in the country.
Design: Of 38,948 respondents selected for 2013 NDHS, this study utilized weighted subsample of 26,293 respondents (67.5% of the total sampled population) with having at least a female child as the inclusion criteria. Descriptive univariate, bivariate and a four-model binary logistic regression was used to examine the net impact of socio-economic and demographic factors on daughters ever circumcised in Nigeria.
Results: There was a higher prevalence (39.3) of FGM/C among the older generation (mothers) than what was obtainable among the younger generation (daughters) (14.2). The likelihood of daughters being circumcised was higher among mothers who were themselves circumcised, among women who supported continuation of FGM/C and who believed that FGM/C was a religion injunction
Conclusion: Conclusively, the study inferred that there is a decline of FGM/C in Nigeria and that there are more prospects of this declining in the age long practice.