YouthHub Africa in collaboration with Young Men Network Against Gender Based Violence with support from UNFPA has officially premiered “Sandra’s Cross” the most anticipated film on Female Genital Mutilation and Gender based violence in Abuja yesterday.
While speaking at the opening of the movie premiere, Miss Sabrina, UNPFA representative alluded that 6th February is an international day for Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and to commemorate this special day of advocacy and campaign that seek an end to harmful practices such as FGM, which according to several reports still quite prevalent in Nigeria and other African countries, it is imperative we understand the agony and harrowing experiences that most of the young girls were put through and the possible after effects of this harmful practice.
“Every year more than 3 million young girls mostly teenagers are held down and cut through their genitals. This practice has been proven
to have no health benefits but rather negatively affect the self-esteem, sex life, marriages and often lead to complications or death of the victims” she explained.
She added that 4 out of 10 adolescent girls in Africa have been genitally mutilated at one point in their lives either by reason of tradition or due to ignorance on the part of their parents.
Rotimi Olawale,Team Lead, YouthHub Africa while giving his keynote address shared with the audience how crucial it is to spread the message from the film, push advocacy and campaign against FGM to the grassroots and other rural communities where these practices are still considered normal due to archaic traditions/customs.
“We are working to create more episodes of this film with the support from UNFPA and to further push our Zero Tolerance to FGM Campaigns to the rural communities, to educate those who still indulge in FGM practices and make them understand the dangers inherent in it, and ultimately desist from it” he asserted.
Sandra’s Cross has one of the top Nollywood acts, Kemi Lala Akindoju plays the lead role and the host of other seasoned actors. The film mirrors the evil of FGM and gender based violence in marriages as well as the emotional and psychological damages they inflict on their victims.
Watch the Snippet below