Government through Ministry of Gender has warned old women especially school matrons against engaging young girls into elongation of their ‘vaginas’an execrise locally known as “okukyalira ensiko.”
The genital elongation practice is common in Uganda particularly among the adolescents who are advised to pull their clitoris as a way of preserving culture.
But Minister of Gender Peace Mutuuzo says the practice doesn’t add value to girls’ health.
Speaking at Media Center on Wednesday, Mutuuzo said government will initiate means of talking to girls in primary and high schools to report whoever encourages them to engage in his practice.
“We shall target matrons in primary boarding schools. You are preparing our girls who are not yet ready for marriage and may get partners who do not care about that (genital elongation),” Ms Mutuuzo said while addressing journalist in Kampala.
Pulling as it’s popularly known, is a tradition common in central and southern parts of Uganda and Rwanda, which basically involves the elongation of the labia minora on the female private parts by girls and women.
The practice is widely criticized by the west for allegedly being outdated and barbaric.
This development comes high on heels of International Day for Zero Tolerance of Female Genital Mutilation scheduled on February 6 (Today).
She said her ministry needs an increase in the budgetary allocation from the current Shs200 million to Shs1.2 billion to help fight female genital mutilation which is predominant in Sebei sub region in eastern Uganda.
