The outgoing president of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, has taken a huge step for Nigeria and signed into law a ban on female genital mutilation (FGM). This law also protects wives and their children from being economically abandoned by their husbands. FGM has effected an estimated 125 million girls and women globally, but is widespread across Africa and the Middle East. With the passage of the ban in Nigeria the hope is that it will cause a domino effect to the remaining African countries, who have not yet banned FGM. Though the signing of the law is important cultural changes in the communities still need to be made for it to be effective.
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/may/29/outlawing-fgm-nigeria-hugely-important-precedent-say-campaigners