On June 4, 2019, former President Uhuru Kenyatta made a commitment to end female genital mutilation (FGM) in Kenya by the year 2022. Later that November, he reaffirmed this commitment when he met with cultural and religious elders from communities with high FGM rates at State House in Nairobi. This was a significant milestone, as the leaders signed commitments to support the President's vision. During the occasion, the President directed relevant government agencies to enforce the law and take action against perpetrators.
In 2015, the United Nations (UN) had made a similar commitment to ending the cutting of girls and women by 2030. However, when Uhuru left office in August 2022, girls and women from at least 22 counties were still being subjected to FGM.
The media continued reporting cases of widespread FGM in hotspot regions like Kuria, West Pokot, and North Eastern, among others. Even though the recently released Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS) 2022 report stated that the national FGM prevalence dropped from 21 per cent in 2014 to 15 per cent, the outlawed cultural practice persisted.
Uhuru: State to inject Sh5 billion in GBV fight The cultural bondages choking Kenyan womenGender and human rights activists, stakeholders, and the government were concerned about the emergence of new FGM trends to evade the law, including medicalization and cross-border FGM.
Read also: Here are Kenya's campaign strategies against FGM
Cross-border FGM remained a significant challenge, with cases of girls being taken to neighbouring countries like Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Somalia for the procedure before returning to Kenya. Massive cutting of girls was reported in border areas like Kuria and West Pokot, with details emerging that some girls were allegedly sneaked into neighbouring Tanzania, cut, and then brought back to the country.
Changing attitudesCross-border FGM emerged as a major threat to the fight against the outlawed cultural practice, with parents and elders using it to evade prosecution. Those subjecting their daughters to the cut were keen to circumvent local punitive laws, which they viewed as inapplicable in other countries.
Asenath Mwithigah, the CEO of Orchid Project, tells that while progress in changing attitudes and behaviours towards practices like FGM is notable, this transformation is gradual. She explains that socialisation over generations has deeply entrenched certain norms, making swift change unlikely, as supported by the KDHS Survey of 2022.
However, there are emerging trends, especially in communities where the practice is prevalent, such as Kuria and West Pokot. For instance, there is a disturbing shift towards performing FGM on infants, alongside a decrease in the age at which it is typically done, posing challenges for detection and reporting.
Additionally, some communities have resorted to conducting FGM in secrecy, foregoing traditional ceremonies.
Interestingly, there is a shift in the perception of adulthood, especially among previously uncut women.
In certain communities like Marakwet, Ms Mwithigah says uncircumcised women are marginalised, compelling them to undergo the practice to gain acceptance in social gatherings.
She explains that calamities like the Covid-19 pandemic and droughts exacerbate the situation, leading to increased vulnerability among girls.
Multifaceted approachEconomic pressures also play a role, with families viewing girls as commodities to be married off for financial stability, hence deciding to have them undergo the cut, she states.
Ms Mwithigah insists that addressing FGM requires a multifaceted approach spanning various sectors, including education and healthcare. While legal frameworks exist, implementation remains a challenge, and community involvement is crucial, as mere imposition of laws without local support was ineffective.
She emphasises the instrumental role of grassroots organisations in driving change at the local level, with their intimate knowledge of communities enabling targeted interventions that resonate with cultural sensitivities while promoting lasting change.
Medicalisation of FGM, which has been on the rise, is another major challenge hindering the fight against the vice. According to the 2022 KDHS, about 14 per cent of girls aged 0-14 years and women aged 17-49 years had been cut by a doctor, nurse, or midwife.
Among circumcised women aged 1549, 72 per cent reported being circumcised at home, 14 per cent at a relative's home,
