Cross border Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Kenya remains a major hurdle in the fight against the illegal practice.
Despite the tough anti-FGM laws in place, the deep-rooted cultural practice still persists as perpetrators find new ways to evade prosecution.
According to Mary Taiko, Kajiado County Gender Deputy Director, the porous borders at Namanga and Loitokitok have contributed to cross border FGM as one can easily cross over to Tanzania on foot or using motor-bikes.
Speaking in Kajiado during a workshop to review the Anti-FGM policy, Taiko added that the Maasai community in Kenya have relatives in Tanzania, making it easy for them to take their girls for the cut in the guise of a normal visits.
“Cross border FGM remains a major challenge in the fight against the outlawed practice. Girls are sneaked across the border to Tanzania in the guise of visiting their relatives and they undergo the cut before being sneaked back,” she said.
The Director called for harmonized laws between the two countries to ensure that cross border FGM is put to an end.
Taiko revealed that although the prevalence rate of FGM in Kajiado has dropped from 78 per cent in 2014 to 63 per cent in 2022 according to the Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS), many girls were still at risk.
She said poverty was a driving factor as the girls are cut and married off in exchange for livestock. The ‘cutters’ and transporters who ferry the girls across the borders also make a lot of money further fueling the practice.
Jedidah Lemaron, Malkia Intiative Executive Director called for speedy implementation of the law on FGM adding that cases often drag on in court for years denying the victims justice.
“Whenever a culprit is arraigned for FGM-related offences, the case drags for years, denying the victim justice. Some victims are intimidated by the community forcing them to withdraw. This has been a huge setback in the fight against FGM,” she said.
Dorcas Parit, an anti-FGM activist and founder of Hope Beyond Foundation a rescue centre for girls fleeing from FGM, revealed that some local administrators who are supposed to be on the forefront in the fight against FGM are also sometimes compromised.
Parit said some Chiefs collude with perpetrators by failing to arrest the culprits despite being aware of FGM activities being undertaken in their localities.
By Rop Janet
