Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - As Burkina Faso on Saturday commemorates the 18th edition of the National Day for Combating the Practice of Excision, the authorities in the West African state have said female circumcision has seen a decrease.
The Ministry of Women said the prevalence is down by 11.3% for the 0-14-year age group and 67.6% for the 15-49 age group.
The day is under the theme: "Translating political decisions into concrete actions at the grassroots to accelerate the elimination of female genital mutilation in 2030: Challenges and perspectives."
In Burkina Faso, excision is the most practised form of female genital mutilation (FGM), forcing the authorities to adopt on 31 May 2018 a new Penal Code which has made the sentences tougher for both perpetrators and accomplices.
However, the phenomenon is continuing by female excision practitioners who move clandestinely from one locality to the other.
Burkinabe President Rock Marc Christian Kaboré was named as the African Union champion for the promotion of the elimination of FGM by his peers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 11 February 2019.
On that occasion, he launched the African Union campaign for the elimination of FGM.
-0- PANA TNDD/TBM/BBA/MA 18May2019
