Accelerating Abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation and Child Marriage Project

About

The above project, which began in 2016, seeks to end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Child Marriage in the following Kenyan counties -  Kajiado,West Pokot, Marsabit and Samburu. It is being implemented by World Vision through the support of UNICEF. The project is addressing FGM and Child Marriage through the following strategies:

  • Transforming gender and social norms among community members through Intra and Inter-generational community dialogues:  We target gatekeepers such as council of elders, circumcisers, as well as men, youth,  women and redeemed circumcisers who can expedite the abandonment of FGM and child marriage.
  • Empowering girls who are at risk, to abandon FGM and child marriage through life skills training,  education, mentorship, alternative rites of passage and rescue efforts where necessary.
  • Empowering men and boys to protect uncut girls by changing social and gender norms that promote FGM.
  • Strengthening social systems to amplify prevention and response services for cases of FGM,child marriage and other types of child abuse.

Approaches/Models

  • Channels of Hope for Child Protection: This approach empowers faith leaders to become child protection change agents among their congregants, and use their influence to bring to an end the FGM practice.
  • Community Change (C-Change): This model is executed through Community Dialogues led by trained facilitators. They help communities to understand the adverse effects of FGM and become ambassadors for the anti-FGM movement. Community Dialogues are held mostly in school compounds as mobilisation is usually done through schools. A community resource person facilitates the dialogues twice a month. The dialogues are usually themed around FGM, child marriage and quality education for girls and boys. Dialogues for different groups (men, youth, women and council of elders) are held separately to ensure adequate and meaningful participation. Intergenerational dialogues are also organised when the various groups are ready to provide a platform for open talks between parents/guardians and their children. The dialogues are usually conducted in the local language.
  • Alternative Rites of Passage (ARP): In collaboration with the community, World Vision organises the ARP for all girls at risk of FGM. The ARP initiates them into adulthood and equips them with fundamental life skills and values.

Achievements

In total, 190,076 people (including 102,641) children have been reached through community dialogues. In addition, the  program has 27 community volunteers  in place who have offered Psychological First Aid to 2,000 girls. Children specifically, have benefited in the following ways:

  • 2,689 girls and 2,864 boys reached with life skills training
  • 3,662 girls have been taken through the alternative rites of passage
  • A total of 2,550 children have been trained on child rights and are leading child rights clubs in their respective schools
  • Through a partnership with the local Community Based Organisations (CBO), Administration officers and change agents, more than 1,268 girls have been rescued and placed in different rescue centres. These girls are in primary schools, secondary schools and higher institutions of learning.
  • Increased awareness on the effects of FGM and child marriage by the community has resulted in more than 13 circumcisers abandoning the practice and becoming champions.
  • Strong peer-to-peer mentorship has helped children to exercise their rights and reject harmful cultural practices.
  • Increased capacity of faith leaders to protect children from all forms of violence – especially FGM and child marriage - has led to 30 members of the clergy developing child protection policies to address FGM and other forms of violence afflicting children.
  • Media campaigns reaching more than 100,000 people through local language radio stations have enhanced awareness on the adverse effects of FGM

Statistics

  • Based on the most current Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS 2014), the national FGM prevalence stood at 21% while the child marriage prevalence was recorded at 22.9%.
  • The UNICEF 2017 FGM and Child Marriage Report - FGM prevalence rates in hotspot communities are as follows:  Somali community (94%), Samburu (86%), Kisii (84%) and Masaai (78%). Child marriage rates were reported as follows:  56% in Northern Kenya, 41% in Coast, 32% in Nyanza, 30% in Rift Valley, 27% in Western, 18% in Eastern, central 17% and Nairobi 7%.
  • In Samburu County, child beading is still practiced. This involves Morans gifting girls aged between 8 and 15 years red beads. This is an act that condemns the girls to continuous sexual abuse by the Morans. The mother of the adorned girls builds a hut for her daughter outside the family house where the Moran can have easy access to her for entertainment sex at night. The Samburu Child Beading report of 2017 indicates that 3 out of 4 girls aged between 8 and 12 years had been beaded.
  • Through our anti FGM interventions in partnership with UNICEF and UNFPA (such as community dialogues, alternative rights of passage (ARPs) and rescue of girls at risk of FGM and child marriage in collaboration with relevant government authorities) we have significantly contributed to the reduction in the FGM prevalence in West Pokot  (74%), Kajiado Central (51%), Samburu (71%) and Marsabit (78%).

Prevailing Gaps

  • Strengthen community based surveillance system that will ensure identification,follow up and referral of cases.
  • We need to develop strategies that will continually address the changing FGM trends e.g.  secrecy and medicalisation of FGM.
  • Continued engagement in cross border forums should be enhanced to reduce the practice of FGM in neighbouring countries.
  • We need to strengthen alternative family/institutional care arrangements for girls rescued from FGM or those that flee their homes to avoid being cut. World Vision is working with families willing to care for affected girls and local boarding schools that offer refuge and safety to the affected children.
  • Frequent spells of drought that aggravate household poverty. This makes girls vulnerable to FGM as families often force them to get married in exchange for dowry (livestock), which they use for income generation.We are addressing this hurdle by integrating our anti-FGM initiatives with livelihoods and nutrition projects that can help boost household income.