Join in the war against female circumcision, men told

By Phares Mutembei

Men have been asked to join in the fight against female genital mutilation (FGM) to eliminate the vice in communities still practising it.

Abdi Omar of the Kenya Pastoralist Network for Children noted that children continue to suffer as a result of  FGM and early marriage.

“Since almost all pastoral communities practise FGM, the government must prioritise its elimination to advance children’s rights to education, health and development,” said Mr Omar.

FGM is one of the deep-rooted cultural practices that impede the development of children in pastoral areas. It leads to early marriages and school drop-outs, and affects the reproductive health of the victims.

“It can be arrested if men say they are not going to marry circumcised girls anymore,” he said, adding that only 34 per cent of children in arid north- eastern areas are in school.

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Tim Ekesa, the executive director of the Kenya Alliance for Advancement of Children Rights, said pastoral communities must be empowered to raise their children in the desired manner. 

“The pastoralist child continues to face serious challenges and it is vital that the communities be empowered.”