Laikipia: Child rights activists have sounded an alarm over rising cases of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and child marriage in parts of Laikipia County during this festive season. The activists are now calling on authorities to act swiftly to stem the vice amidst fears that affected girls risk dropping out of school.
According to Kenya News Agency, recent data from the Anti-FGM Board indicate that the prevalence of the female cut stands at 80 percent in Laikipia, which is significantly higher than the national statistics that have dropped to 15 percent, down from 21 percent in 2014. A recent case in Laikipia North Sub-County involved two Grade Nine girls who escaped from their homes and sought refuge at a rescue centre in Doldol Town after learning of plans to subject them to the cut. Currently, the rescue center, One More Day for Children, is housing 75 girls, all survivors of harmful cultural practices in recent years.
Speaking at Kimanjo Market during a graduation ceremony of some 250 girls who had completed a 4-day alternative rite of passage training, Anti-FGM Board CEO Bernadette Loloju stated that the country had stepped up its efforts to fight against the vice with women being at the center stage in eradicating the retrogressive culture. Loloju explained that as one of the strategies to eradicate the female cut, they are now reaching out to elders from pastoral communities to lead in the campaigns and also engaging the youth to encourage them to marry uncircumcised girls through an initiative dubbed ‘My Dear Daughter Campaign.’
As part of the strategies to protect the girls, Laikipia North Deputy County Commissioner David Boen directed chiefs to ensure that no cultural ceremonies take place at night and that parents ensure that their daughters are safely at home by 6pm. According to Action for Children in Conflict (AFCiC) Director John Muiruri, the female cut is the precursor of marriage, and though FGM is outlawed, it is still rampant in some parts of the country where it is done secretly, notably among the pastoral communities. AFCIC is a local organization that supports the growth and development of children in accessing education and justice.
