Harmful Traditional Practices

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Welcome to class! 

In today’s class, we will be talking about harmful traditional practices. Enjoy the class!

Harmful Traditional Practices

Harmful traditional practices are different forms of violence that are committed against women and girls in society. These practices are unethical and violent which may claim the lives of the victims. Examples of these harmful practices are forced marriage, child marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM), etc.

Types of harmful traditional practices

There are various types of harmful traditional practices. These practices are not only harmful to the health of the victims but can lead to their death. Some of them include:

1. Female genital mutilation: This is also known as female circumcision. This practice involves a female child partial or total removal of external female genitalia. It is performed on girls of different ages, according to those who practice it, it is to ensure virginity before marriage and it is used to control women sexuality.
2. Forced and early marriages: Girls are being forced into marriage at very young ages. These marriages rob a child of her childhood and may lead to her death. If pregnant and unable to deliver safely due to the nature of unripe/unmatured body.
3. Breast ironing: This is a practice performed by a mother on a girl child who is claimed to grow breast faster than she is supposed to. Hot irons, stones or hammers are used as a means of delaying the breast development thereby protecting girls from rape and unwanted male attention.
4. Witch burning/beheading: Major unexplained illness/death are associated with sorcery and women are suspected, hence accused of the practice and eventually burnt or beheaded.
5. Maltreatment of widows: In-laws upon the death of their husband evict Widows from their homes. It is sometimes claimed that their wives cause the death of the husband. Widows are treated unfairly.
6. Tribal marks.
7. Use of children for begging and agricultural labour.

Consequences of harmful traditional practices

1. The inability of a woman to conceive due to diseases contracted during these processes, e.g. FGM.
2. It leaves bad memory in the life of the victims.
3. Severe pain during sexual intercourse and menstruation.
4. Loss of self-esteem, sadness and depression.
5. Risk of death due to pregnancy-related causes in the case of early marriage
6. Psychological trauma for the victims.
7. Contracting of diseases and infections during the process of some of these harmful practices.
8. Social discrimination especially for the girl child.

Measures to prevent and stop harmful traditional practices in Nigeria

1. Proper campaigns to eliminate these practices should be put in place with legal backing.
2. Some selected people in the society such as religious leaders, traditional leaders, elders, political leaders, teachers, etc. should be well educated about the consequences of these practices.
3. Activities and technical support to eliminate these practices should be put in place.
4. Traditional practitioners involved in these practices should be given other alternative income-generating activities.
5. Girls and women should be well educated on the incidence of harmful practices and should be greatly discouraged from involving in it.
6. Female education should be promoted and encouraged.

 

In our next class, we will be talking about Peace.  We hope you enjoyed the class.

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