By: Loci Benedicts

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a deeply rooted cultural practice that leaves silent scars on the lives of millions of women and girls around several communities in Kenya and some parts of the world. Abandoning the immediate physical pain, FGM leaves enduring challenges; persevering pain, increased accessibility to infections, and psychological trauma that keeps haunting the survivors.

The effects of Female Genital Mutilation on school-going young girls are both harmful and wounding. FGM inflicts girls’ immediate physical pain and health risks and also hinders educational opportunities. The trauma and emotional impact can lead to negative concentration in class, absenteeism in school, and poor academic progress that may result in school dropout leading to early marriages. Addressing the victimization of FGM is critical in creating a safe and secure educational environment for school-going young girls in affected communities.

FGM increases the risk of complications during childbirth, contributing to maternal and infant mortality rates. The silent scars of FGM resurface during newborn delivery; such human challenges emphasize the urgent need for comprehensive healthcare strategies to reduce the life-threatening harmful practices experienced by women in affected communities. The altered anatomy resulting from FGM can lead to prolonged labor during newborn delivery and often causes deaths that would have been preventable in the absence of the harmful culture. Comprehensive and raising awareness, fostering open dialogue, and providing support for the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of affected individuals is an urgent concern to be addressed.

Young girls who undergo the cut are at a high risk of getting married earlier after being misled to believe that they are adults capable of sustaining a family. FGM is the root cause of teenage pregnancies and it creates a complex web of challenges. Addressing the effects of FGM on teenage pregnancies requires an immediate solution, as it increases a cycle of health risks and societal implications that impact both the immediate and long-term well-being of affected persons. Female genital mutilation (FGM) results in severe physical, psychological, and social repercussions on its victims, violating their basic human rights and freedom. It leads to immediate complications like infections, transmission of diseases such as HIV/AIDS, and long-term problems such as chronic pain, complications during childbirth, and staying in regrets.

Ending FGM requires comprehensive efforts including teachings in schools and churches, legislation of laws that prevent the cut, and community engagements to safeguard the well-being and rights of women and girls worldwide.

Loci Benedicts

Youth Advocate – NAYA Kenya