By Evelyn Sasi, Onyimbi Nelson

Aside from being one of the most persistent human rights violations meted out upon millions of girls globally, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is not just a passing event; it is rather a pervasive reality that affects girls across Kenya, including those in Migori. The December holidays were a powerful reminder of this as communities openly carried out mass female circumcision illegally despite ongoing advocacy efforts. Even though time has passed, the visible and invisible scar still lingers.

For many girls, their decision to resist FGM is not just an act of defiance but rather a fight for survival. The moment a girl refuses to undergo the act, she risks being shunned by her own family, labeled as a disgrace, or even thrown out of her home or community. This isolation can be a devastating one as it deprives her of the support structure she has known all her life. Others are even forced to escape, running to night rescue centers that offer limited protection but not long-term.

Sometimes, those who manage to avoid the cut may face emotional scars, as many struggle with anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), knowing they might still be forced to undergo the cut. Some carry the invisible burden of watching their friends and relatives endure FGM, while they stand powerless to stop it. This trauma does not end with the event but instead embeds into their identity, shaping how they move through life.

Various interventions through community gatekeepers in FGM-prone regions around the country may have brought hope as they engaged Local leaders and the community in an open dialogue. Yet the reality on the ground proved that deep-rooted cultural beliefs do not just end overnight, as many community members proceeded with mass circumcision, showing that advocacy interventions alone are not enough.

Kenya’s legal framework, including the prohibition of the FGM Act 2011, offers a strong stance against the practice of FGM, but enforcement remains weak and inconsistent. Even though some arrests were made during the December circumcisions, some of the perpetrators still operate with impunity, being shielded by tradition, secrecy, and the comfort of operating across the porous Kenya-Tanzania border, where they escape legal implications of engaging in the vice.

Beyond enforcement, the lack of economic alternatives contributes to the persistence of FGM as the girl’s worth is tied to her marriageability, and FGM is often seen as a prerequisite to securing a husband in some cultures. Without economic empowerment and education for both parents and their children, breaking this cycle remains a daunting challenge.

To truly address FGM, we must go beyond education and legal enforcement. While these still remain essential, there is a need for direct intervention in developing programs that provide financial literacy and entrepreneurship opportunities, which can disrupt the narrative that FGM is necessary for economic stability.

The younger generation is the greatest hope in shifting mindsets. Through digital storytelling, grassroots activism, and tech-driven platforms that allow young people to openly speak about the realities of FGM, we can drive transformative change.

Evelyn and Onyimbi are health-rights advocates at Network for Adolescent and Youth of Africa