FGM eradication campaign Nigeria sees girls empowered as youth leaders rise

FGM eradication campaign Nigeria gets a boost as over 3,900 girls trained in Oyo State to lead grassroots advocacy against female genital mutilation

FGM eradication campaign Nigeria is gaining momentum in Oyo State as over 3,900 adolescent girls have been empowered to lead the charge against female genital mutilation.

Also read: Kenya’s battle to eradicate FGM

This milestone comes through a partnership between Trailblazer Initiative Nigeria, the United Nations Children’s Fund, and the Oyo State Government.

The announcement was made during a two-day training workshop held in Ibadan.

According to the Executive Director of Trailblazer Initiative Nigeria, Dare Olagoke-Adaramoye, the selected girls will serve as leaders in the movement to end FGM, focusing especially on four local government areas: Ido, Oluyole, Olorunsogo, and Saki East.

Speaking at the event, Olagoke-Adaramoye said, “We are not just training leaders, we are building a movement—one girl, one facilitator, one safe community at a time.” He emphasised the critical role young people play in changing harmful societal norms.

The executive director highlighted that the initiative aims to go beyond awareness by fostering accountability and enhancing community resilience.

“The initiative places adolescent girls at the heart of the solution. It’s not just about ending FGM, it’s about reshaping how communities engage with tradition and empowering youth to lead from the front,” he added.

Trailblazer Initiative’s strategy includes grassroots advocacy, youth-led innovation, and mentorship.

The result is a growing network of changemakers equipped with the tools and confidence to challenge harmful practices and advocate for gender equality.

“The project’s ambitious goal is to eliminate FGM through youth-led innovation, grassroots advocacy, and the empowerment of girls as changemakers. With over 3,900 girls trained and mobilised, the vision of an FGM-free Oyo State is becoming increasingly attainable,” Olagoke-Adaramoye stated.

He went on to thank key partners for their involvement, including UNICEF Nigeria and the Oyo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion.

Their support, he said, has been instrumental in the project’s reach and impact.

He also commended the Adolescent Gender Champions and community facilitators for their relentless dedication to the cause.

“You are the face of this campaign,” he told them. “Stay committed, lead with courage, and be worthy ambassadors of change in your communities.”

TBI’s Programme Manager, Mojisola Omotoye, also addressed participants. She reaffirmed the organisation’s dedication to empowering communities at the grassroots level and urged facilitators to approach their work with empathy.

“Change happens when people feel heard and understood,” she said. “Facilitators must earn trust within community structures and become symbols of positive influence. Only then can we expect lasting impact.”

Oyo State remains one of the regions where the practice of FGM continues despite legal and health warnings.

However, advocates believe that focusing on young people—particularly girls—offers the most sustainable route to change.

By empowering them as frontline advocates, the initiative fosters community-driven solutions from within.

The collaboration underscores how partnerships between NGOs, international bodies, and local governments can produce measurable outcomes.

It also demonstrates the growing role of youth-led campaigns in addressing deeply rooted cultural issues.

Also read: ‘Terminated’ 52 Imo communities abolish FGM practice

With more initiatives like this, FGM eradication campaign Nigeria could move from vision to reality—one empowered girl and one engaged community at a time.