Survey: 2,400 girls married off annually

By Michael Wesonga

West Pokot, Kenya: A recent female genital mutilation (FGM) survey in West-Pokot estimated that 4,300 girls are circumcised and another 2,400 forcefully married off annually.

The Women Rights Institute for Peace (WRIP) survey further indicated that at least five girls drop out of school from each of the 478 primary schools annually, bringing total to 2,390 girls.

WRIP Executive Director Mariam Suleiman said each school reported at least having lost at least 10 girls to FGM in the months of December, August and sometimes April. 

“In some schools, the number of girls enrolled in Standard One has reduced to almost nil when the girls reach Standard Eight,” she stated during the release of the report.

For example, in Cheptiya Primary School of Keringet location, Kapenguria, only four girls sat for KCPE in 2013 of the 26 girls enrolled in Class One in 2006.

“This represents an 84 per cent dropout rate in a span of eight years. It is not clear whether the four who sat for KCPE in 2013 will get an opportunity to proceed with secondary education. If they don’t, then the school will not send any girl to high school this year,” Ms Suleiman stated.

Teresa Lokichu, a member of county assembly termed the revelation as a crisis that both the West Pokot County government and the national government structures need to urgently address.

One Third Gender Rule

“The county may in future find it difficult to meet the required One Third Gender Rule in employing county workers if the trend continues as it is,” she stated.

Ms Lokichu said the community highly disregards women and only looks at them as means of acquiring wealth leading to an increased number of early-age-forced marriages.

Cattle rustling, illiteracy, social pressure, ignorance on anti-FGM laws and lack of funding and synergy for anti -GM community-based organisations and grassroots government agents has undermined chances of a well-coordinated strategy to combat FGM in West Pokot County.