By Our Reporter
Lobby groups from West Pokot county have raised concern over the high number of girls at risk of being subjected to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), early forced marriages and teenage pregnancies during this festive season.
Domtilla Chesang, Irep Foundation Director, expressed concern that the rate of FGM cases in the county stands at 74 per cent and it might get higher than that if the government doesn’t move fast to stop the planned FGM ceremonies set to take place during this December holiday.
“FGM cases are most rampant in Kanyerus, Masol, Muino, Kapsolion Takaywa, Nyangaita, Nyarkulian, Sondany, Koporo and North Pokot Sub County areas. Most girls are grouping themselves together, looking for circumcisers without the knowledge of their parents,” she complained.
She complained that local politicians have also posed a threat to anti-FGM campaigns as most of them do not fight the vice.
“We are alert and ready to fight the vice. Recently, we were in Mosop Location where we heard bad reports being spread that the President has allowed FGM. We called a baraza and demystified the wrong information,” she said.
She strongly criticized men in the community who are custodians of bad culture and revealed that her foundation has trained nyumba kumi people,women and men about the dangers of FGM.
“The practice of FGM is more rampant because of it’s considered a rite of passage, lack of information, illiteracy, ignorance, poor infrastructure and lack of funds to sustain anti FGM campaigns,” she noted, adding that they have urged men to accept to marry uncircumcised girls.
“We have trained them and shown them models and pictures on how FGM is done as well as demystified myths and misconceptions that uncircumcised females are unable to cook well, smelling and you can’t milk cows,” she reported.
She called upon the government to ensure the planned ceremonies do not take place so that girls’ lives aren’t destroyed.
West Pokot World Vision Project Officer for Girl Child Promotion Project Teresa Cheptoo asked chiefs in the county to report any planned ceremonies before they occur to help save the girl child from the vice.
“We have been using chiefs and village elders, Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and teachers who have been instrumental in the fight and we have realized the fruits .We want leaders to intervene because they are role models,” she said.
Cheptoo said that many girls have suffered after undergoing the cut hence the move by the organization to put measures in place to eradicate the vice in the area by reaching remote villages where the vices are being done.
“We have tried to ensure that we reach remote areas where the problem is. We have convinced lobby groups and stakeholders to collaborate with us in fighting the vice by directly addressing the affected people. We need collective responsibility,” she said.
She noted that the county and national government has not recognized FGM as an issue and urged the stakeholders to take a minute and think about it and how to curb it.
The anti FGM crusaders asked church officials not to organize overnight crusades and parties during this festive season as many parents who want to cut their girls have taken advantage of the crusades to organize the illegal parties where girls are cut.
