FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION (FGM)

WHAT IS FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION?

In some societies, Female Genital Mutilation is referred to as circumcision. Most societies who carry out circumcision on babies under eight days while some carry out circumcision on girls who are about to get married. Those who prefer to carry out circumcision on babies do so because the child, they believe, will not have so much pains as when they are done when they are older in ages. Simple treatments like the use of engine oil, prescribed by a Traditional Birth Attendant (TBA) who happens to be the surgeon, is used for treatment which will take about eight days to heal. The question here is that "are they sure about the cleanliness of the engine oil not to infect the child?"

For the girl who is about to get married, it is quite evident that she feels all the pains in all the processes of the cutting.

Comparing the circumcision o the baby child and the grown girl, it can be said that the eight days child, though she feels the pains, cannot explain what she is feeling, except through her cries and yearnings, but the older girls can feel every pain as well as explain her experience.

Those who carry out circumcision on their children say they do so so that the child will not have to go into sex work or be found in adultery when married, for short, she should not have a course to feel for sex as much as she should...

The similiarities in the two parties remain that

• Since the surgery was carried out by a TBA, there is likely to be in an improper care, which may lead to profuse bleeding and mortality.
• The insturments or sharp objects used for the surgery or cutting may not have been sterilized before use which can transmit diseases into the patients.
• The TBA is not an expert, he/she does not know much or knows nothing about HIV, and may not be able to spell out how it is gotten or how it could be prevented, so he/she could use sharp objects already used on an HIV patient on another person, thereby tranfering the disease to that person.

Tell me, if a man finds out that the woman he has married rarely has sexual urge and does not enjoy sex with him, will he not find solace outside his wife?

So, to answer the question of what Female Genital Mutilation is, it simply means that the process of circumcision gives way to Female Genital Mutilation. Please send your comments and suggestions.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AND BUSINESS PRESENTATION (5)

Barriers to effective communication in business presentation

Some people develop phobias when they have to speak in the public. Some have stage fright while others cannot handle the microphone when they have to face the public. Some are also ruled by the fear of having all eyes on them, or what the people will say about their presentations, even when they have not finished presenting their papers, they have judged themselves.

However, communication becomes ineffective due to breakdown that can occur in the process of presenting your business. These breakdowns are referred to as barriers to effective communication.

There is the technical or environmental barrier which simply explains the environment at which communication is being carried out. This is a major barrier incommunication and business presentation. Factors like timing, information overload and cultural differences could impede
communication hence ineffective communication.

nTiming has to do with determining the appropriate time a message should be sent out, the amount of time given to make the presentation. Fear and anxiety could make you miss your timing.
nInformation overload has to do with sharing too many information at the same time within a short time. It could be confusing especially when the information are towards different goals.
nIn terms of communication in business, cultural barrier could come in the area of physical approaches like dressing, manner of greeting, etc.

Other possible barriers are:

§Language: drawing an instance from an Ibo having to do business with an Hausa, having both of them as English illiterates. (apologies). This is found mostly in the informal business presentation.
§Psychological: this arises when one party thinks his business partner is going to outwit him, and then he decides to withhold useful information or aggrandise his information. He could fumble at this point.

Tips, and techniques on preparing and conducting your presentation

nRome wasn’t built in a day. Spend quality time preparing your presentation, whether formal or informal.
nTry as much as possible to be explicit to the level of those who are going to be listening to you.
nTry as much as possible to focus on the need of the organisation you are presenting your business to.
nGo through your paper over and over again.
nRehearse your presentation to overcome fear and anxiety.
nBe sincere in your figures to avoid fidgeting.
nTry not to focus on yourself and how you feel.
nBe optimistic in your thoughts of how your audience feels about you.
nEngage your audience when presenting, make your presentation participatory.
nBe humorous
nSite instances when presenting
nSpeak to your audience, not your slides
nListen carefully before you respond
nAt the end of every presentation, learn to say…

THANK YOU!!!

Please send your contributions to iyabosly@gmail.com