Saving Girls From Female genital Mutilation/Cut.

Dear Esteemed Friends and Partners,

Am privileged to update you on our progress in eradicating Female Genital Mutilation/Cut (FGM/C) in our community. It’s a continuous process year in year out. Current statistics show it is now at 15%  national wide and dropping, due to your continuous support, this is made possible.

We have Identified Tharaka Nithi County in eastern part of Kenya as a hotspot for FGM and it will be our geographical Area for advocacy Against Female genital Mutilation/Cut (FGM/C)

Overall objective: Transforming social norms by building a coalition of partners for stronger SRHR Movement to end FGM/C in Tharaka Nithi County.

 Problem we are addressing: Female genital cutting is widely practiced by Tharaka Community in Tharaka Nithi county for decades, The county has an area of 2609 km² and as of the 2019 census a population of 393,177. FGM/C in this county is used to control women/girls’ sexuality and behavior, it is considered one of the most effective tools to subject women to strict discipline in a men dominated society. This undermine women freedom of choice regarding their own bodies .According to a 2017 report by UNICEF, 71% of women aged 15-49 years in Tharaka Nithi County had experienced some form of FGM/C. In 2011, Kenya passed a law making it illegal to practice FGM. Subsequently Kenya has signed several protocols and convention for the elimination of FGM/C one of them Moputo protocol.

FGM is deeply rooted in peoples cultures of this county, and critics say the law is not enough. More advocacy is needed to help stop the practice. Tharaka Nithi if one of the 47 counties in Kenya and is a hotspot of FGM/C.

FGM/C is worst form of violence against women. We need to protect our girls and women against this outdated practice and promote their health.