Loitoktok: Alarm over infants being subjected to FGM at birth
Stakeholders in Loitoktok have raised a red flag on high numbers of minors being subjected to the cut in private and public health facilities.
What you need to know:
- Stakeholders in Loitoktok, Kajiado South Sub-county, have raised a red flag on high numbers of minors being subjected to the cut in private and public health facilities.
- They say medics are colluding with parents to subject minors to FGM during child birth.
- Local administration is on high alert and profiling health facilities abetting FGM.
Several health facilities in Loitoktok, Kajiado South Sub-county are on spot over abetting Female Gentle Mutilation (FGM) during childbirth.
In a meeting between local administration, Nyumba Kumi elders and girl child rights activists at Rombo Assistant County Commissioner’s office on Thursday, stakeholders raised a red flag on high numbers of minors being subjected to the cut in private and public health facilities.
The meeting noted that some parents collude with medics to perform the procedure during child delivery.
Over the past few years, Pro-FGM crusaders in the vast Kajiado County, have changed tactics to evade the long arm of the law, including secret arrangements for girls to undergo ‘the cut’ during child delivery.
Married women who succumb to community ridicule and pressure, are also subjected to FGM during child birth, on their own violation. Some undergo the cut as they seek "community acceptance", while a fraction are forced to the process by the villages pro-FGM crusaders.
"It has come to our attention medics are colluding with parents to subject minors to FGM during child birth. Despite the anti-FGM campaigns in the villages, pro-FGM crusaders are fighting back hard," said Alice Masinte, the director of Naret Intoiye CBO.
Cross border FGM
Ms Masinte said girls are forced to get the cut at a tender age, or are taken to neighbouring countries for what is commonly referred to as "cross border FGM".
"The Maasai girl child remains endangered...We have deployed border patrol officers but seemingly, it is not enough,” she added.
Rombo Location Chief Patrick Njama said the administration is on high alert and profiling health facilities abetting FGM, noting that such facilities risk closure. He warns parents against the vice.
"We will not spare any (health facility) that will be found liable. We will also not hesitate to take legal action on parents colluding to have their daughters undergo FGM," he warned.
Anti-FGM community champions currently fear that most girls will fall into the FGM trap during this long December holiday. They have intensified village to village children rights championships.
"The fight against FGM must start from the grassroots by enlightening the girl child on their rights,” said Norkerimbot Martine, a community champion.
They are also reaching out to male teenagers to support the anti-FGM campaigns.
