Anti-FGM Board Wants Anti-FGM Clubs Established in Schools

To help fight Female Genital Mutilation, FGM, the Anti-FGM Board is pushing for establishment of Anti-FGM clubs in schools in 22 counties where the vice is prevalent.

Anti-FGM Board CEO Bernadette Loloju, speaking to Rendile Elders in Marsabit said these clubs will be pivotal in creating awareness on the dangers of the vice and will largely help in socializing young people that FGM is harmful and illegal.

Further, she urged elders to be on the forefront in condemning the vice in the community as it will encourage young people to denounce the vice.

To shield uncut girls from stigma, she appealed to the elders to also bless uncut girls as they do the cut girls, integrate them in the community so that they can contribute to the community’s socio-economic development.

“We are not against ceremonies involved in the cutting of girls like songs, dances, traditional brews for elders, blessing with milk or any other ritual. We are strongly against the cutting of girls. You can sing, bless and take them to school without the cut,” Ms Loloju told the elders.

She urged the community to enable the girl child by educating them to allow them to contribute to economic growth of the area.

“Our children need to be educated to become global leaders. It starts with us giving opportunities to girls in far flung corners of this county that they can get out of their zone and excel,” she added.

Also speaking during the forum, Islamic scholar and a director at the Anti-FGM Board, Dr Rashid Omar, said the vice has no basis in Islam and those using religion to perpetuate it rely on weak jurisprudence of tales that cannot be relied upon for authority.

“The government recognizes culture as the basic foundation of the country and civilization of the people. However, culture that oppresses is against the Constitution, and FGM and child marriages is one of them. The truth is girls are suffering a lot from problems arising from culture. You as the Kirgi elders are known for showing leadership to the other Rendille elders. If you make a resolution to end FGM, then the others will follow suit,” said Dr. Omar.

FGM prevalence rate among all girls and women in Marsabit County currently stand at 91 percent according to recent study by Unicef and the Anti-FGM Board.