06/02/2023
*TODAY 6TH FEB THE WORLD COMMEMORATE FGM DAY*
Female Ge***al Mutilation (FGM) is a harmful traditional practice that involves the partial or total removal of the external female ge***alia, or other injury to the female ge***al organs, for non-medical reasons. It is also known as female circumcision or female ge***al cutting.
International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM is observed on February 6th every year. The day was designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 to raise awareness about the harmful effects of FGM and to promote its elimination. The day serves as a reminder of the commitment to end the practice and to protect the rights of women and girls worldwide.
FGM is a societal problem that needs the involvement of all including men and boys whose voices are paramount and today as we commemorate the International Day for Zero Tolerance to FGM, we acknowledge the impact of everyone of you and other stakeholders on sensitizing the society on the types of FGM, adverse effects of FGM and the laws governing the rights of women and girls.
This day is marked globally to rally for concrete actions and advocate for the elimination of FGM in our society and this year's theme is "Partnering with men and boys to transform gender and social norms to end FGM". Since men are the head of family units, they have a stronger voice in their households against FGM. We call on men and boys to join in speaking up and stepping forward to end FGM.
Apart from voicing out for men and boys to partner in the elimination and staging fight on this vice, we call for the government and other stakeholders to uphold:
1) Reviving and supporting Alternative Ritualistic Programmes ARPs,
2) Encouraging fathers’ involvement in the upbringing of their daughters,
3) Inclusion of the topic of FGM/C in the current education curriculum and public fora,
4) Strengthening the community policing strategy -Nyumba Kumi,
5) Setting up community centers for orphans and rescued,
6) Inclusion of transformed women circumcisers as mentors - they say use a thief to catch a thief.
Noteworthy, Female Ge***al Mutilation Act 2011 which criminalized FGM by prescribing various penalties to those found guilty - this is a legal protective mechanism to prevent women and girls from exposition to this harmful practice. Also Kenya has, by ratifying numerous international treaties including Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women CEDAW and the Maputo Protocol, made notable regional and international commitments to protect the rights of women and girls including the freedom from discrimination, cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment and harmful practices and attaining the highest standards of health.
The aforementioned Prohibition of FGM Act was a strategic legal intervention that protected both women and girls from this human rights violation. Indeed combating Gender-Based Violence calls for a joint effort and effective coordination. We are happy to have made a step closer into realising the Generation Equality Committments that speaks on eliminating FGM by 2024 and Gender Based Violence GBV by 2026. This to highlight has been aligned with strategies in line with the human rights protocol to ensure zero case of the FGM/C incident.
Of essence, let's commit ourselves with protecting and empowerming of women since eradication of the vice requires the support of all stakeholders, men included. We need a holistic approach to ending violence against women and girls. We need to understand that not a single person can do it. It takes collective effort to come together, whether its government, civil society, grassroots activists or traditional leaders. We call on all of society to know that this is their business and we need their support.
To this end, we thank you all for being in forefront in championing the end of outdated cultural practices by accustoming others on the Prohibition of FGM Act 2011 and by reporting perpetrators to law enforcers. Thanks for your responsibility for the betterment of lives of others and heeding as ambassadors of change by empowering to help eradicate this heinous act of FGM. Bravo for accelerating the elimination of this practice and lifting the voices of women and girls.
