Female Genital Mutilation practices in Kenya: - Feed the Minds

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The ARP is one of the approaches implemented in Kuria and Kisii in the last decade, often as part of a programme involving community awareness raising, working with schools, health providers, religious and community leaders. ARP is generally considered most appropriate for communities where FGM involves a public celebration, with the intention that the ARP graduation would, over time, replace the cut whilst retaining the traditional celebration. This would suggest that ARP would be more readily accepted among the Kuria, than among the Kisii. The research found that ARP has been successfully used in Kisii, integrated with girls’ empowerment programmes. Residential ARP camps are supported by intensive community awareness activities, which encourage the local community to recognise the ARP graduation ceremony as an alternative to FGM. In contrast, in Kuria, the concept of ARP is less well articulated. The emphasis has been placed on rescuing girls from FGM, with camps organised during the FGM season. Although these camps also include an ARP graduation ceremony, as well as training on the health risks of FGM and the violation of the rights of girls and women, the local community recognises these elements only to limited extent. The study suggests that the success of ARP as an approach to abandoning FGM is strongly dependent on the concept being understood and accepted locally, particularly by decision-makers including parents, the Council of Elders (in Kuria), church, school and community leaders. As such, ARP needs to be fully explained and embedded in community education and girl empowerment programmes which cover the health risks, violation of the rights of girls and women, and also challenge the myths and assumptions around FGM. The study identified a section of the communities in both Kuria and Kisii, mainly young people and parents, who are informed about the health risks of FGM and would prefer not to have their daughters circumcised, but who feel the stigmatisation of uncircumcised women is so strong that they will send their daughters to be cut in order to be socially acceptable. If real progress is to be made in reducing the prevalence of FGM in Kuria and Kisii, this significant group of people, who feel pressurised to conform, need to feel safe enough to break with tradition. The research suggests that this is more likely to happen in a climate where respected people, for example church leaders and school teachers, oppose FGM both publicly and privately, the rights of children are more fully understood and action is taken against parents whose girls undergo FGM. In Kuria, it is recommended that local agencies shift their focus from rescue camps in the FGM season and engage in longer-term community education and girl empowerment initiatives throughout the year. For ARP to be successful, the concept needs to be articulated more clearly in the community. Attempts should be made to engage the Council of Elders as potential change agents. In Kisii, it is recommended that the model of girl empowerment programmes which incorporate ARP should be extended and combined with a community awareness programme which reaches community leaders, both men and women, as well as church leaders and school teachers and health professionals. In both Kuria and Kisii, the government is seen as weak in relation to FGM. There is a lack of awareness of the precise nature of the legal framework at community level and few are familiar with the process of reporting, investigating or prosecuting those who contravene the law. FGM is frequently carried by health professionals in Kisii and in Kuria there is a move in this direction, where parents can afford it. However, there appears to be little or no action taken against health professionals undertaking this work. It is crucial that public awareness of the legislation is strengthened and that law enforcement is seen to be happening in Kuria and Kisii, as elsewhere in the country. Education is seen as an important factor in the abandonment of FGM in Kisii and Kuria, with schools providing a valuable forum in which to address FGM. It is recommended that partners work closely with schools and churches, building the capacity of teachers to help them overcome social inhibitions and discuss FGM with pupils. However, families whose children are not attending school are less likely to be involved in activities to learn about FGM and the rights of young ee 5.
6. girls and women. It is recommended, therefore, that agencies also target some of the more marginalised in communities, in particular those families outside the school networks, many of whom have limited levels of literacy. It is hoped that these findings will enable agencies working in Kuria and Kisii to devise more effective interventions to encourage the abandonment of FGM. This research has enabled the current context within which FGM takes place in Kuria and Kisii to be better understood. The findings in relation to the use of ARP have identified factors which will enable agencies working in Kuria and Kisii to devise more effective interventions to encourage the abandonment of FGM in the future.
Page 1 and 2: Female Genital Mutilation practices
Page 3 and 4: Abbreviations and acronyms 2. AdrA
Page 5: executive summary 4. the WHO define
Page 9 and 10: 8. Although religion, aesthetics an
Page 11 and 12: 10. and/or a fine of up to fifty th
Page 13 and 14: 12. birth at 19 years, nearly four
Page 15 and 16: 14. •• Young women over the age
Page 17 and 18: the research: Findings 16. case stu
Page 19 and 20: 18. would be circumcised at about 1
Page 21 and 22: 20. take the boys to school or even
Page 23 and 24: 22. passage as an alternative to tr
Page 25 and 26: 24. case study 2: FGM among the kis
Page 27 and 28: 26. considered cheaper and easily a
Page 29 and 30: 28. FActors thAt mAy hAve contribut
Page 31 and 32: lessons learned and recommendations
Page 33 and 34: 32. programme offered at TNI is a g
Page 35 and 36: 34. • Government and the local au
Page 37 and 38: 36. in Kisii, where FGM was previou
Page 39 and 40: Appendix A: table of Participants 3
Page 41 and 42: Appendix b: reseach tools 40. infor
Page 43 and 44: Focus Group discussion Guide 42. se
Page 49 and 50: notes 48.

Female Genital Mutilation practices in Kenya: - Feed the Minds

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