Girls have been urged to get the background of their potential life partners before they are romantically involved.
“When you are done with school and you are convinced that it is the right time to settle down, make sure you know what kind of a person you are getting married to. Some of the people you see living a flashy life can easily lure you into extremist groups or criminal gangs,” Kilifi gender officer Agneta Karembo said on Sunday.
Karembo was among speakers at a mentorship programme organised for 500 students of St Thomas Girls’ High School in Kilifi by Engage Jamii Initiatives, a non-governmental organisation.
The occasion was to equip girls with knowledge on countering violent extremism. The NGO's director, Fatuma Juma, said there is a growing concern that women’s complex roles may entail supporting or encouraging violent extremism.
“Girls have no particular role in violent extremism but they can be victims of radicalisation and extremism. These girls are the ones that carry the burden of a brother who has been radicalised and has left the family," Fatuma said.
"They can also be lured by these guys through love and sex. Through this, they can find themselves joining the groups unknowingly because when young girls love they love with their whole heart.”
The girls were taught how not to fall into the trap of al Shabaab.
The NGO runs such programmes in Kilifi, Mombasa and Nairobi counties.
Fatuma said some of her schoolmates joined their boyfriends in Somalia without knowing they were joining extremist groups.
“Some blame poverty for joining al Shabaab but it’s not true. Some join because they believe they are fighting for Jihad but we know it’s not true. Most people can recite the Quran but do not understand it.
"Such people join extremist groups because of their religious inclination without knowing what they are fighting for. This is actually political but many have been hoodwinked to believe it’s a religious war,” the director said.
Field officer Asili Randani said young girls have become an easy target for recruitment by al Shabaab and other extremist groups.
“In most cases, we focus on men in countering violent extremism leaving out women. In recent times we have seen women and girls who are suicide bombers while others are being recruited as brides. We are educating them on the need to concentrate on their studies until they get employment, then they can engage in relationship matters,” Randani said.
Kilifi gender officer Agneta Karembo stressed on the need for young girls to get the history of their partners before accepting to engage with them.
During the recent DusitD2 attack, women are believed to have facilitated the movement of the attackers.
