According to the FGM Act of 2011, FGM is a violation of human rights. It is a global issue firmly on the global development agenda, most prominently in the sustainable development goals target 5.3, which aims to eliminate the practice by 2030. It refers to the total or partial removal of the external genitalia for non-medical reasons. It is not only deeply rooted in gender inequalities but also interferes with the psychological, mental, and physical integrity of young girls. While FGM is well known as a violation of human rights it is still being practiced and it has been performed on at least 200 million girls and women in 31 countries and 4 million girls are at risk of undergoing FGM globally each year. According to the Kenya Demographics and Health Survey (KDHS) data for 2022, the prevalence of FGM is 15% in the country, indicating that 15% of the women aged 15 to 49 have undergone the cut. The FGM situation portrays the need to call for active participation of boys and men in the journey towards ending FGM since it has been proven that change comes faster when you involve men to further the interest of girls and women because of their vast influence in most communities.
Men and boys’ engagement is critical because men are the perpetrators of most forms of violence against women due to harmful social norms and they also dominate decisions surrounding FGM. Local communities should work towards changing such harmful norms to avoid the creation of ‘toxic masculinity’ a phenomenon of perceived male privilege and power that fuels FGM and other harmful practices against women and girls. Men need to change the narrative and the way they speak of women and the way they speak about violence against women and girls, they need to show up and take a strong stand to end FGM and other harmful practices that are perpetuated against women and girls.
Men need to stand up and preach against FGM and other harmful cultural norms. The practice of FGM is causing more harm to their children, their sisters, and mothers, the harm associated with FGM includes post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), infections such as tetanus and HIV/AIDS, complications during labor and birth, sexual dysfunction, injury to the surrounding genital tissue, keloid scar formation and death resulting from excessive bleeding, FGM is also intertwined with other harmful practices such as child marriage, teen pregnancies, and school dropouts. Men are needed to embrace women who have not undergone the cut, to advocate and say they will marry women who have not had the cut. Many young men are needed to come out and say no to FGM, strengthen the men’s network, and create a team with a collective voice that other men and the whole community can hear.
The national and county governments in partnership with other private sectors advocating for human rights should work towards increasing the engagement of male cultural, religious, and political leaders as key stakeholders in the national action plan to end FGM. In schools and other youth spaces, mentorship and life skills building for boys can empower them with the information and skills to prevent and report FGM cases. At the community level. Opportunities should be created for men and boys to play an active role in leading FGM dialogues and challenging social and gender norms, stereotypes, and other practices that continue to perpetuate FGM and other practices.
Men and boys’ efforts coupled with programs that empower women and girls to realize their rights will help us achieve an FGM-free society with zero tolerance for Female Genital mutilation as envisioned in Kenya’s Vision 2030.
Dancan Kemanga,
NAYA Kenya youth advocate.
