HARMFUL TRADITIONAL PRACTICES
INTRODUCTION
Harmful traditional cultural practices are practices that have negative effects on the health of
specific population groups (especially women and children) within a particular community in
relation to their socio-cultural beliefs. There are a number of these practices affecting reproductive
health. These practices are harmful and are deeply rooted in ancient traditional, cultural and
religious rituals passed down from one generation to another. Many of them affecting reproductive
health differ from one society to another.
TYPES OF HARMFUL TRADITIONAL PRACTICES
1. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
2. Harmful nutritional practices e.g. Food taboos such as egg will cause a child to steal, meat
will cause worms, snake will cause a child to crawl on belly, snail will cause a child to
draw saliva, sugarcane will cause delayed labour etc
3. Early marriage and teenage pregnancy
4. Harmful delivery practices
5. Male-child preference
6. Tribal marks and scarification
7. Wife battering and child abuse
8. Gender in-equality
9. Unequal access of female to education
10. Widowhood rights etc
COMMON TYPES OF HARMFUL TRADITIONAL PRACTICES IN NIGERIA
These are grouped into 3 categories:
Category 1
• Female genital mutilation.
• Early/child marriage and teenage pregnancy
• Harmful delivery practices.
• Practises related to food and nutrition in pregnancy, pueperium, infancy and childhood.
Category 2
• Those related to fundamental human rights e.g. denial of the girls access to
education/unequal access to education and health.
• Violence against women and children.
Category 3
• Widowhood rites.
• Male-child preference.
FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION (FGM)
Female genital mutilation comprises all procedures involving partial or total removal of the whole
or part of the female external genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs whether for
cultural or any other non-therapeutic reasons (for-non-medical reasons).
In Nigeria, FGM which is fondly called female circumcision is most barbaric and unprogressive
cultural practice of our time which has though undergone some degree of condemnation these days.
Still, the practice continues to thrive. FHM is damaging to a woman's body, this practice is
internationally recognized as a violation of human rights as it has varyıng consequences.
TYPES
Type I: Excision of the prepuce (the clitoral hood) with or without excision of part or all of the
labia minora
Type II: Excision of the prepuce and clitoris, together with partial or total excision of the labia
minora.
Type Ill: Excision of part or all of the external genitalia-the vulva including the clitoris, excision
of the labia minora, labia majora and suturing of the incised labia majora together, leaving a tiny
passage for urine and menstrual blood flow. (This is infibulations).
Type IV: Unclassified
This includes:
• Pricking, piercing or incision of the clitoris and/or labia minora this is done in labour when
the woman is ask to push against un-dilated cervix and a TBA cuts the perineum thus
piercing the ciitoris and injuring the surrounding structures.
• Stretching of the clitoris and/or labia minora.
• Cauterization by burning the clitoris and surrounding tissues.
• Scrapping (Angurya cuts) of the vaginal orifice or cutting (Gishiri cuts) of the vagina.
• Introduction of corrosive substances or herbs into the vagina with the intent to cause
bleeding or tightening/narrowing the vaginal orifice.
Traditional indications for FGM
• As a rite of passage into womanhood
• To keep the woman clean and curtail promiscuity
• To prevent instant death of the baby, peradventure the baby's head touches the clitoris
during labour
• Preservation of virginity/chastity e.g. Edo and Delta Urhobos
• Custom and tradition
• Religion, social acceptance for marriage.
• To enhance male fertility and increasing sexual pleasure for the male.
Complications/Consequences of female genital Mutilation
Immediate effect:
• Dyspareunia - (Painful sexual intercourse) leading to inability to consummate marriage.
• Infection of the genital and urinary tracts e.g Cystitis, urethitis due to contamination of
urethra orifice.
• Persistent pain during and after procedure
• Severe bleeding
• Shock
• Acute septicaemia
• Infection e.g. tetanus, HIV, Hepatitis B.
• Retention of urine
• Prolong/obstructed labour
• Tears or genital laceration during delivery.
• Death.
Morbid /long term effect:
• Pelvic Inflammatory Diseases (PID)
• Recurrent urinary tract infections
• Presence of dermoid cyst
• Keloid formation/Scarring
• Loss of libido
• Infertility resulting from infection
• Constant dysmenorrhea due to restricted menstrual flow
• Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) or Recto Vaginal Fictula (RVF)
• Phobia for sex
• Sexual withdrawal, depression etc.
CHILD MARRIAGE
This is an act of giving girls below the age of 18 years away in marriage. This is more common in
the Northern part of Nigeria where girls are married off before, or at menarche.
Health consequences of early marriage or child marriage:
• Eclampsia, prolonged and obstructed labour, vulva cysts and abscesses.
• Anaemia in Pregnancy,
• Ruptured Uterus, Postpartum Haemorrhage
• Vesico vaginal fistula, Recto - vaginal fistula,
• Low birth weight, prematurity
• Social and psychological traumas.
• Violence against women.
• Unwanted pregnancy, STIs, HIV
• High risk sexual behavour, miscarriage.
• Broken homes
• Social outcast
• Limited educational and vocational opportunities.
HARMFUL DELIVERY PRACTICES
i. Hot birth
ii. Forced squatting positions:
iii. Assisted deliveries e.g Gishiri cut is also performed in some parts of Nigeria with the hope
that obstructed labour could be relieved. These ways of assistance is very dangerous to the
life of the mother and baby.
iv. Post-delivery practices: Force separation of baby from mother to prevent overdependence
e.g
v. Transferring baby to mothers-in-law.
vi. V. Drinking "Potash containing liquid" or Kanun Kanwa (Potassium qruel)
MALE-CHILD PREFERENCE
This is preferring a male to a female child. It is a common practice in our communities in Nigeria,
the birth of a male child calls for special celebration while that of a girl is a source of grief and
embarrassment.
Women face the threat of ejection from their matrimonial homes. In desperation, women continue
to bear more children (try again syndrome) leading to - Non-Stop-Pregnancy-Lactation Cycle" in
anticipation of the emergence of a male child. Majority of these women end up in the grave due to
ruptured uterus and post-partum hemorrhage.
Perceived reasons for male child preference:
• Preserve family name- males will bear the father's name forever.
• Increase economic value (if labour is required in the family)
• Serve as potential soldiers, heroes, protectors of family and society.
• Carry out burial ceremonies for deceased parents.
• Inherit land, farm, properties, supervise business, profession e.g law chamber, hospital,
companies etc.
• Boys will not be pregnant in schools and males are more curious and courageous.
N.B- Students Should list the consequences of male-child preference
SRATEGIES FOR ELIMINATING HARMFUL CULTURAL/TRADITIONAL
PRACTICES
1. Awareness campaign at all levels on the immediate and long term consequences in tne
communities, schools, market etc.
2. Advocacy to all tiers of government, policy makers - at local, state, national and
international levels.
3. Community education, campaigns
4. Equip health workers with knowledge and skills to manage complications arising from
harmful cultural/traditional practices.
5. Develop appropriate Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials, for
specific and target groups.
6. Networking with youth's and women's groups at all levels of the health care system.
7. All efforts should be made to redirect male physical powers into productive use rather than
to hurting others.
8. Need to establish counseling services in order to control spousal and parental violence.
9. Prohibition of child marriage and betrothal of girls and boys.
10. Legislation of 18 years as minimum age of marriage
11. Make registration of all marriages compulsory.