The brave girls fighting harmful traditions in Samburu, West Pokot
Ruth Namnyak, a young activist in Samburu leading the fight against FGM. She is involved in the campaigns targeting elders, religious leaders and the young people, sensitising them to the dangers of FGM.
What you need to know:
- Marcellina Chebet embarked on a journey of anti-FGM advocacy, taking it upon herself to amplify the voices of young girls in West Pokot.
- Ruth Namngak, a rights activist from Maralal, is spearheading a similar campaign in Samburu County.
Growing up in Kapenguria, West Pokot, Marcellina Chebet was lucky to escape female genital mutilation after her parents protected her from the harmful practice.
Other girls were not lucky and Marcellina always saw the horror they faced as they were subjected to female genital mutilation (FGM).
“I saw many girls being subjected to FGM, forced into child marriage and burdened with the responsibilities of motherhood before they were ready.
“Some of those who underwent the cut could suffer excessive bleeding and other health complications that would at times lead to death.
“It really affected me and would challenge me to do something about it,” Marcellina tells Nation.Africa.
With unyielding determination, Marcellina embarked on a journey of advocacy. She took it upon herself to amplify the voices of young girls in her community.
She knew she could not achieve this alone, so she reached out to like-minded individuals to help her raise awareness of the dangers of FGM, child marriage and teenage pregnancies.
Community discussions and radio talk shows have helped her reach a large audience, particularly men and elders who hold sway on cultural matters.
Marcellina has been trained as an advocate by the Men End FGM Foundation to further sharpen her activism skills.
The organisation has been leading a campaign to lobby stakeholders to prevail upon men in joining the fight against FGM.
Courtesy of the training, she has held community and campus dialogues targeting the youth, students, elders and religious leaders.
Looking back, she is happy with the impact her campaign has had in the area.
“Courtesy of the campaign, most youths, elders and religious leaders are now aware of why FGM needs to be eliminated," she says.
"They understand and are aware of the health complications associated with the cut.”
Recognised
Her efforts, relentless advocacy and dedication have caught the attention of international organisations.
They have recognised her as a champion for youth rights and empowerment.
In 2018, she was nominated for the prestigious Kids Nobel Peace Prize while only aged 14 years for her outstanding work in promoting gender equality and fighting harmful practices.
“I felt humbled by the recognition, but I knew my true reward would be witnessing the tangible change in my community.”
And as news of her nomination spread, her influence grew exponentially. She was invited to numerous high-profile events.
At the 30th celebration of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, she shared her experience and called for global action to end injustices faced by children.
Her spirited journey to weed out the vice in West Pokot has, however, not been without setbacks and obstacles.
She admits facing resistance from conservative members of the community, some accusing her of betraying her culture and disrupting societal norms.
Samburu campaign
About 750 kilometres away in Samburu County, Ruth Namnyak from Maralal is spearheading a similar campaign to wipe out FGM. Ruth is the founder and CEO of Enkanashe Africa, a community-based organisation that empowers women and girls.
She says she escaped the FGM ordeal.
When she went to Nairobi, she realised that FGM was not being practised in most communities.
Ruth felt she needed to do something to challenge retrogressive practices.
“The exposure made me learn more about how harmful FGM was and the health implication it posed to girls and women. I then made a decision to campaign against the vice,” she tells Nation.Africa.
The 24-year-old thus started a campaign in 2019 to fight for girls and women in Samburu.
She has been talking with girls, women, elders and religious leaders, educating them on the dangers of FGM and why it needs to be stopped.
She has also been holding dialogues with Morans, sensitising them to the negative effects of FGM and why it is important to end it.
In conjunction with Men End FGM, the activist has been engaging the youth through the campus and community dialogues to spread the message.
The dialogues promote alternative rites of passage that honour tradition without resorting to harmful practices.
Actively engaging with girls and young men has provided safe spaces, mentorship, and educational campaigns, she says.
Empowering young women and challenging community perspectives paves the way for alternatives that celebrate cultural identity without inflicting harm, she emphasises.
“The success stories emerging from such initiatives underscore the transformative power of community-led change. As gender activists, I often face resistance but mostly press forward with determination.”
These dialogues, she says, create an environment conducive to change, fostering understanding and collaboration to break the chains of tradition.
Feat
One of her achievements is the 2021 Kisima declaration by Samburu elders that denounced FGM.
This took place during the commemoration of International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM attended by former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The legal landscape surrounding FGM, including the Anti-FGM Act, plays a crucial role in combating the practice, she says.
She adds that a comprehensive examination of existing legal measures and policies reveals their effectiveness in preventing and prosecuting perpetrators.
“The law serves as both a deterrence and a means of seeking justice for survivors, contributing to the broader efforts against FGM.”
Samburu and West Pokot are among the 22 FGM hostspot counties.
The efforts being put by the two young women and other thousands of anti-FGM activists seem to be bearing fruit if the findings released recently is anything to go by.
The Kenya Demographic & Health Survey (KDHS) data from 2022 reveals a 15 per cent prevalence of FGM in the country among those aged 15 to 49 years.
This is a six per cent drop from the 21 per cent recorded in 2014.
