Navigating cultural dynamics in tackling gender-based violence

Discourse on gender-based violence (GBV) reveals that culture is a major factor constraining efforts to eradicate the vice in all its manifestations. For instance, some traditions normalise wife beating as an expression of and an inalienable component of love and marriage. Practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM) are carried out as part of the cultural milieu of initiation into adulthood, preparation for marriage and validation as a full member of a community.

Others such as forced widow inheritance are used as cleansing rituals and touted as necessary ingredients of sustaining progenies. There are also subtle forms of GBV that force women into harmful situations. Such include reproductive coercion, exemplified by forced coitus, prevention from using contraceptives and demands on women to bear a certain number of children, especially sons.

Experiences from three countries during the mid-November Commonwealth Parliamentary Association workshop on strengthening parliamentary action against GBV and modern-day slavery held in Nairobi highlighted challenges faced in tackling harmful traditions against women and girls, and showcased practical approaches being used to navigate the complex terrain.

'Beaded' girls

A presentation by the Samburu Girls’ Foundation cited a practice where adolescent girls who have gone through FGM are “beaded” (gifted a bead necklace by a male cousin who is a community warrior – moran - to make her his official sexual partner). When such sexual dalliances result in conception, the baby is killed for being a product of incest, notwithstanding the mother’s interest and that the community knew all along that the two youth were blood relatives!

A member of parliament from The Gambia said that when he implored his colleagues to pass a law that would enable girls to gain legal status so they can be asked for consent to undergo FGM, he was counter-challenged to state whether he had sought his daughter’s consent before enrolling her in school. This attitude is laced with the notion that FGM is compulsory in the material communities, hence personal consent is immaterial. Coming from such persons as members of a national parliament, this shows that tackling FGM is a tall order.

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It was repeatedly mentioned that the typical elected parliamentarian in African countries where FGM is practised are perpetually reluctant to oppose the rite because doing so is politically suicidal. This brings up fundamental questions. What is their motivation for getting into leadership? Is it for self-aggrandisement or to transform society? What legacy do they intend to leave behind if they do not have the courage to challenge retrogressive practices?

The Network against Gender-based Violence from The Gambia highlighted that engaging community gatekeepers is critical for those campaigning against FGM to gain acceptance and reduce conflict. Such gatekeepers include traditional and religious leaders, parents, politicians and FGM practitioners. This engagement enables determination of who in the community supports, opposes or is neutral about the practice. This enables the campaigners to mobilise allies and develop strategies to win over the opposing and neutral agents.

Important in community engagement is the use of evidence to demonstrate the harm caused by the practice, hence convincing the community on the need to address it. This requires going to the communities with medical practitioners, social workers, community health workers and legal experts to talk about the various dimensions of FGM.

Backlash

Experience sharing observed that even as they challenge the retrogressive practices, the campaigners should not show disrespect and contempt for the local cultures as this will only generate backlash and regression. Part of this approach requires use of the language of the community and/or simplification of technical terminology to establish rapport and ensure understanding and ownership.

The Gambian Network against Gender-based Violence also uses the Young Couples Model where such partners are brought together to discuss the delicate issues and establish family level norms of and commitments to prevention of violence. The agency also holds community camp fires, storytelling sessions and theatre to sensitise communities to GBV in a non-coercive and inductive way.

In diverse countries, the male champions approach has become popular in tackling FGM specifically. Influential men such as religious and traditional leaders are mobilised as change agents. Experiences from Namibia showed that these leaders should not be condemned wholesale as perpetrators because some of them are not formally educated, exposed, skilled or aware that the practices they are custodians of are harmful. In this regard, a more empathetic approach is to create safe spaces for them to be heard and be guided so that they become the first lines of support for survivors of GBV and campaign allies.

The bottom line is that GBV must be eradicated. All possible creative methods must, therefore, be deployed to do so everywhere.

The writer is an international gender and development consultant and scholar ([email protected]).