Residents of the North Eastern region have been warned against using the Islam religion to propagate Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) among schoolgirls.
In a meeting with the residents organized by the Anti-FGM board, Director Dr. Rashid Omar said that FGM had no basis in Islam and was instead oppressing young girls and women in name of culture and religion.
“Those misusing religion to perpetuate the vice rely on weak jurisprudence of hadiths that cannot be relied upon for authority,” he said.
Dr. Omar noted that FGM goes against the foundation of social institutions, which is; family, education, health, religion and the economy it grinds on.
“The government recognizes culture as the basic foundation of the country and civilization of the people. However, a culture that oppresses humanity through and child marriage is unacceptable,” he said, noting that the region and the Coast are regions where communities still hold fast to the cruel practice.
He cited a case study of refugee girls in Eastleigh, between March and September 2021, by Forum For Africa Women Education Kenya and Equal Measures 2030; where it was found that some pastoral communities smuggled girls to neighbouring Somalia for the cut.
“It is devastating to hear that when schools close, cases of secret FGM practice and child marriages sharply shoot up. Sadly, such girls have nowhere to report to or take refuge,” he added.
He finally called on parents and guardians to embrace the value of education for girls and join awareness campaigns to eradicate FGM and other punitive cultural practices on girls and the community as a whole.
By Amoto Ndiewo
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