Accra, Sept 18, GNA - Mrs Marian Tackie, Director, International Women's Desk, Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs on Thursday condemned some cultural practices that were inimical to the socio-psychological well-being of individuals in the society.

"Female genital Mutilation (FGM) is a form of violence and must stop. It is an affront to the dignity of women and girls", she said. Mrs. Tackie said this at the third Regional Forum on FGM organized by the Inter-African Committee (IAC) in collaboration with Ghanaian Association for Women's Welfare (GAWW) on harmful traditional practices with special reference to FGM.

The Forum sponsored by Kvinnefronten in Norway is on the theme: Youth in Action to reach Zero Tolerance to FGM brought together youth activist from over ten African countries including Ghana, Senegal, Mali, Togo, Djibouti and Niger to discuss and sharpen their skills for effective lobbying and advocacy in their respective countries.

The objectives of the 2008 forum is to strengthen and mobilize young people as agent in the elimination of FGM and other harmful traditional practices, empower them to form national networks as well as equipping them with information on existing regional and international human rights instruments.

Mrs. Tackie commended the IAC and GAWW for implementing various activities aimed at bringing positive attitudinal changes at the individual and societal levels and building capacity of the youth in the fight to eliminate harmful traditional practices.

She noted government's commitment through the setting up of a multi-sectoral monitoring team and the ratification of various conventions as concrete measures to address the issue.

Ms. Mercy Osei-Konadu of UNFPA said the practice called for a holistic solution through the implementation of culturally sensitive programmes for its abandonment, advocacy for legal and policy reform while building national capacity to stop the practice.

"We are happy to note that in Ghana, the Criminal Code Amendment Act 484 is in place, while advocacy and sensitisation and awareness programmes have been established at many levels of society to reduce the national prevalence rate", she added.

Mrs. Florence Ali, President of GAWW said, involving the youth was an effective tool to ensure that future generations would be saved from FGM and other such practices.

Dr. Morrissanda Kouyate, IAC Director for Operations said the activities of Africans in the Diaspora were being monitored to ensure that they did not engage in such practices.

He said the committee was working to promote useful African practices as well as eliminating harmful ones and called for support from civil society, religious leaders and other stakeholders to help in the fight.