During the International Conference on Population and Development Nairobi Summit 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta gave moving opening remarks that showed support for the rights of Kenyan girls and women.
He promised to end FGM by 2022 and other forms of harmful practices by 2030. Unicef Kenya estimates that 574,000 additional Kenyan girls are at risk of undergoing FGM between now and 2030 unless urgent action is taken to prevent it, whereas four million girls and women have already undergone FGM.
The effect of this outlawed practice goes beyond the cut itself. In many communities, once a girl undergoes the cut, they are considered ready to be married off. This leads to girls dropping out of school, teenage pregnancies, and increased risk of HIV and other STIs. This limits their education, social and economic prospects.
The FGM ACT 2011 and other legal and policy frameworks in Kenya are direct and supportive of young women and against FGM. The judicial system has also been supportive by upholding anti-FGM laws.
However, the disconnect between laws and communities, including local leaders and enforcers, remains an impediment towards the ambitious vision of eliminating FGM in Kenya.
This calls for an overhaul, re-evaluation and change of approaches, going beyond political commitments, boardroom meetings and legal corridors to creating wider awareness among communities targeting the perpetrators and embracers of the retrogressive practice, including young men.
Advocacy officer at Centre for the Study of Adolescence.
