Check the rise in female genital mutilation and botched circumcisions

Despite the government having outlawed Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in 2011, the practice goes on unchecked in some places. A few days ago, police officers detained 10 girls following tips they had undergone the cultural cut in Giika village, Igembe South, Meru County.

Similar incidents continue to be reported in many of the Kenyan communities that find it hard to do away with the harmful cultural practice, even when presented with evidence of its harmful effects on individuals.

Attempts by the Uhuru Kenyatta regime to do away with FGM by 2022 failed, but we are still within the time frame set by Sustainable Development Goals, which set 2030 as the year by which FGM should be a thing of the past.

The Kenya Demographic Health Survey 2022 recorded a drop in the prevalence of FGM between 2014 and 2022, showing a decline in the prevalence from 21 per cent to 15 per cent. Along the line, however, we seem to have dropped the ball, and FGM appears to back in force.

A survey by the Anti-FGM Board a year ago revealed there have been covert attempts by traditional groups in Central Kenya to bring back the outlawed practice, which the recent Meru case vindicates.

This unfortunate development raises questions about the commitment of grassroot leaders, especially the Chiefs, Assistant Chiefs and Village elders in affected regions, towards eradicating FGM.

It is not possible that this practice can go on in their jurisdictions without them getting a whiff of it. A study by UNFP and UNICEF in 2020 revealed that 89 per cent of boys and men, and 92 per cent of girls and women are committed to ending FGM. What then is the problem?

The rights of children under Article 53 of the Kenya Constitution and Article 19 of the United Nations Convention of Children must be enforced. The violation of children rights, unfortunately, is not limited to things like FGM.

In Bungoma, botched circumcision rites resulted in four boys being admitted to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, for surgery recently. According to the hospital administration, three of the boys lost their manhoods completely after they were mutilated. One of the boys was lucky after his chopped manhood was reattached.

The need for such harmful practices to be stopped immediately cannot be overstated. Granted, the constitution recognises our diverse cultures and actually protects them. However, cultural rights that pose direct threats to life, are abusive and result in neglect of children who clearly deserve protection from adults have no place in modern society.

There is need for the government to roll out concerted civic education drives on dangers that arise from FGM. These drives should be conducted through schools, churches and mosques. To succeed, however, there must be more commitment from the two tiers of government. With just a little bit more effort, this can be achieved.