Migori, Kenya – The closure of schools for the December holiday break in Kuria region has historically been associated with the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). As the December holiday season approaches, the Kuria community is mobilizing to protect the rights of school-going girls and combat this harmful practice.
According to a news release by the Kenya News Agency, in collaboration with the national government, international organizations such as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Network for Adolescents and Youth of Africa (NAYA), and the Tunaweza Empowerment Organisation (TEC), has launched a program known as ‘Catalysing Whole Community Response (CWCR) for abandonment of FGM.’
According to Agnes Ochilo, the Spouse of the Migori County Governor, the CWCR project is designed to introduce fresh strategies in the fight against FGM. It will work closely with the ‘Kambi ya wasichana initiative,’ an initiative in Kuria Sub Counties that educates girls to become anti-FGM ambassadors and advocates for their rights.
Ochilo stressed that previous strategies to end FGM have had limited success, and it is essential to adopt new, tailored approaches to combat this harmful practice. Initial efforts involved engaging Kuria elders and female circumcisers but yielded limited results.
FGM has significant health implications, including complications during pregnancy and contributing to HIV prevalence and new infections among teenagers, according to the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NACC).
Rahab Robi, the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Education, Gender, and Culture in Migori, emphasized that the CWCR project aims to address cross-border FGM along the Kenya-Tanzania border, particularly in the Isebania and Sirare areas, to ensure the safety of teenage girls.
Ricky Ngere, Programme Officer for the Network for Adolescents and Youth of Africa (NAYA), highlighted that the CWCR project aims to tackle three significant threats: teenage pregnancy and early marriage, HIV prevalence, and FGM, which hinder the growth and development of girls in Migori.
Efforts to engage counterparts in Tanzania, specifically in Tarime and Rorya regions, are already underway, said Ngere. John Omondi, the Kuria West Sub County Children’s Officer, reported that in 2022, his department received 600 cases of children threatened with FGM, prompting many of them to seek refuge in safe spaces across the four Kuria Sub Counties.
Omondi emphasized that his department is committed to implementing the project to protect the rights and health of Kuria girls. In August of this year, Migori County hosted Governors’ spouses from six counties that still practice FGM, including Kajiado, Narok, West Pokot, Marsabit, Nyamira, and Taita Taveta. The meeting aimed to discuss and share ideas on how to end the harmful practice of FGM.