Dandelion Africa, a lobby group working towards empowering women and girls in rural areas has urged communities to work closely with government agencies and Non-governmental organisations in ensuring a Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) free society.
Speaking on Friday at Mogotio Centre during an anti-FGM campaign forum, Ms Aszed Wendo from Dandelion Africa said the vice can be 100 per cent eliminated through collective sensitisation of the communities.
Ms Wendo noted that the vice which has continued to be carried out secretly in some areas of Banita and Kisanana in Rongai and Mogotio sub-counties deprives girls of their rights.
Under the hashtag ‘Usinitoe Utamu’ (right to education and good health etc), the Mogotio based organisation is now running a campaign involving boys and girls (Dandelion Boys for change and Girls for Leadership) who are now anti-FGM ambassadors.
According to Ms Wendo who is the organisation's director, the collective responsibility will greatly help the society in the fight against FGM and any other gender-based violence.
“We are here to sensitize the society on the effects of FGM and to help shun the vice which is denying our girls and women their rights. It is a call to all of us in society including boys and men in collaboration with the government to ensure such is achieved,” she said.
Her sentiments were echoed by area Assistant County Commissioner Grace Ng’ang’a’ who called for enhanced reporting mechanisms.
She also called on the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and the police to work in collaboration in ensuring that there is enough evidence in prosecuting cases of FGM.
“The government is very committed in the fight against FGM and we call on the public to help by reporting whenever they see such cases,” she said.
Dandelion Africa also slammed those advocating for the vice by moving to court to have it allowed in society.
Wendo challenged those advocating for FGM to inform the society what the benefits of the practice are.
“As Dandelion, we are opposed to the move by the individuals calling themselves medics to go to court to have the vice allowed. It is clear now FGM is causing harm and has no any good to the girls and women,” she said.
She, however, lauded the society which she says has continued to understand the effects of FGM and was now embracing the sensitisation forums on the same.
This she said has been reflected in the statistics in Mogotio sub-county as far as FGM cases are concerned, with one Ms Elizabeth Chepkorir who used to perform FGM opting to shun the practice and become an ambassador for change.
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