Marie-Thérèse Abena Ondoa
Yaoundé, Cameroun (PANA) – Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) will be considered an offence in Cameroon, under the country’s penal code currently under review, according to the Cameroonian Minister for Women and Family Promotion, Marie-Thérèse Abena Ondoa.
Speaking at the launch of the seventh edition of the “Zero Tolerance Campaign” against FGM in Yaoundé, she said the prevalence rate of FGM is estimated at 20% in the extreme north and South Western Cameroon but only 1.4% in some other parts.
However, the practice is well established in large cities like Yaoundé and Douala.
Experts say FGM can cause infection and delivery problems for women.
Cameroonian Muslims have since 2012 been helping the authorities to stop the practice.
