The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, has given her endorsement to a Memorandum of Understanding with the Pigba community in the Federal Capital Territory, aimed at putting an end to the harmful practice of breast ironing among girls. The minister, as part of the ministry’s sustainable empowerment initiative, presented 50 grinding machines and 60 sewing machines to enhance the socio-economic status of women in the community. This effort aligns with the ministry’s commitment to eradicating harmful practices against the female gender and promoting the welfare of women and the girl child.
During the event, Minister Ohanenye emphasized that such harmful practices are unacceptable, echoing the policy thrust of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which advocates for empowering women as active participants in nation-building. She commended the community’s leaders for their efforts in raising awareness against breast ironing and expressed gratitude for their partnership in ending gender-based violence.
The District Head, Chief Emmanuel Gade, thanked the minister for the support and reiterated the community’s commitment to ending harmful practices. He also appealed to the Federal Government for essential amenities such as health centers, boreholes, and access roads. A community member, Mrs. Kande Ilya, acknowledged the traditional beliefs that fueled breast ironing and credited the minister’s visit for sparking awareness campaigns on the detrimental effects of the practice. She also highlighted poverty as a contributing factor to social issues in the community and appreciated the minister for the empowerment tools provided.
