THE BARBARISM OF VIRGINITY TEST
The test is reprehensible and a violation of the rights of young girls The virginity test conducted on 16 female students of Government Comprehensive High School, Taabaa, in Khana Local
The virginity test conducted on 16 female students at Government Comprehensive High School in Khana, Rivers State, Nigeria, has been deemed as a barbaric violation of the girls' rights. This act of primitiveness is particularly egregious considering it was allegedly carried out under the guise of providing financial assistance to the students.
The Rivers State Education Ministry unequivocally denounced the act, stating that no entity has the right to subject students to such testing or any form of abuse. The students, however, have the right to press further charges in a civil court.
The practice of virginity testing is condemned by the World Health Organisation (WHO), UN Human Rights, and UN Women as having no scientific basis or clinical indication. The act goes against the core medical principle of "do no harm" and often results in immediate and long-term consequences for the tested individuals, such as physical pain, anxiety, depression, re-traumatisation, and social stigmatisation.
The UNESCO and other global organisations have repeatedly called for the elimination of virginity testing. The incident at Government Comprehensive High School in Khana is not an isolated case, as it echoes similar incidents in the past. The Rivers State authorities have directed schools to protect students from degrading, coercive, or invasive practices, even if they appear to be linked to cultural traditions or scholarship programmes.
The government is urged to ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable for this gross violation of the rights of young girls.
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