Towards Zero Fgm/c in Southwest Nigeria: Insights from the Stopcut Project

Abstract

Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) is a harmful cultural practice and human rights violation in Southwest Nigeria, perpetuated by weak law enforcement, low public awareness, and entrenched traditions. The StopCut project employed a quasi-experimental design using inverse probability weighting on data from 413 households across 12 Local Government Areas. Findings revealed marked improvements in participants' knowledge of FGM/C consequences, awareness of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, willingness to report, and actual reporting of FGM/C within families. However, the intervention unexpectedly increased the intention to practice FGM/C'a complex outcome that highlights the need for additional qualitative research and multi-tiered approaches to shift deeply rooted socio-cultural norms.