“Back then, I was a small girl and they took us to older girls who had undergone FGM. They used tricks on me. I  was told I would grow a tail if the clitoris was not removed. I believed them… It turned out to be a very painful ordeal,” Khaltuma, Anti Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) champion in Kenya says recalling  the fear, the pain, the sense of violation. 

According to the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS), the prevalence of FGM in Kenya is 15% among women aged 15-49 years. Horn of Africa institute (HAI) an organisation working in Kenya on Sexual reproductive Health and Rights, Gender and Social Inclusion, Climate Change amongst others has been working with girls and women like Khaltuma through concerted efforts to end FGM. 

To contribute to the eliminate of FGM HAI  is using mutiple strategies to drive change in the community. According to Pascalina Nthamba, Program Manager at HAI the organisation is actively lobbying the Isiolo County government and other stakeholders to develop an Anti-FGM policy and establish a safe house for survivors of FGM and other forms of gender-based violence (GBV). “Our formal commitment, to be read on Zero Tolerance Day for Ending FGM 2025, will hold both national and county governments accountable for their efforts in combating FGM,” she said.

Through the POWER project, the organisation is also training women leaders on protecting girls from FGM/C and providing psychosocial support to survivors in schools to aid in their trauma healing process.

As efforts to end FGM continue to evolve  a crucial aspect  of the work at HAI has been the involvement of men and boys. Through this action HAI has trained and commissioned ten community male champions as anti-FGM change agents to support prevention, response, and reporting efforts.

Although work on legal frameworks and lobbying remains central in this  fight, HAI has also fused art with activism offering an innovative approach which deeply resonates with community engagement. “We utilise “Artivism”—employing arts and culture, including dance, skits, and traditional songs to convey sensitive messages to the community and educate them about the negative effects of FGM.”

On this International Day of Zero Tolerance FGM, HAI is sending a message of of urgent action and unwavering hope. FGM is a grave violation of human rights, a brutal practice that inflicts lifelong physical and psychological harm on girls and women. It’s a practice rooted in harmful traditions, but tradition is not an excuse for abuse. We must collectively shatter the silence surrounding FGM and amplify the voices of survivors. My hope lies in the growing global movement of activists, communities, and governments working tirelessly to end this practice. But hope is not enough. We need concrete action: stronger laws, effective enforcement, community-led initiatives, and accessible support services for survivors. Let us move beyond tolerance and embrace a world where every girl is safe, valued, and empowered to reach her full potential.  Let’s make FGM a practice of the past, not the future,’’ Nthamba says.

Some of the key lessons learnt from implementing work on FGM in Kenya include

• FGM is deeply embedded in cultural practices and beliefs. Efforts to address it must be approached with sensitivity and respect for cultural contexts. Understanding the specific reasons behind the practice in each community is crucial for developing effective strategies. Condemnation and judgment are counterproductive; dialogue and collaboration are key.
• Sharing the stories of survivors can be incredibly powerful in changing hearts and minds. When people hear firsthand accounts of the pain and suffering caused by FGM, it can create empathy and motivate action. However, it’s vital to ensure that survivors share their stories on their own terms and with their full consent, and that they receive adequate support.
• While FGM is primarily a practice that affects girls and women, men play a critical role in perpetuating it. Engaging men as allies and advocates in the fight against FGM is essential for achieving lasting change.
• Ending FGM requires a multi-sectoral approach. Collaboration between governments, NGOs, community-based organizations, healthcare providers, law enforcement, and other stakeholders is essential for creating a comprehensive and effective response.
• While the fight against FGM is a long and challenging one, it’s important to celebrate the progress that has been made. Recognizing and celebrating successes can help to maintain momentum and inspire further action.

In order to put an end to the persistence of FGM in the country more support is still needed to accelerate efforts to end FGM. HAI recommends the following:

• More robust data on FGM prevalence, trends, and the effectiveness of different interventions is needed to inform evidence-based strategies.
• Working with communities to establish reporting mechanisms and support and localized referral systems for survivors can help improve law enforcement effectiveness.
• Supporting community-led dialogues and sensitization through chief ‘Barazas’(public meetings) campaigns that address the root causes of FGM and promote positive social norms.
• Supporting advocacy efforts to strengthen policies, advocating for investment in the development and implementation of culturally appropriate alternative rites of passage that celebrate girls’ transition to womanhood without resorting to FGM.
• Providing economic opportunities and education for women and girls can empower them to make their own choices and resist pressure to undergo FGM.
• Sharing best practices and lessons learned between different communities and countries can help accelerate progress to end FGM.
• Implementation, enforcement, strengthen and harmonization of National anti-FGM laws and advocating for county-level laws.
• Capacity Building for Law Enforcement, training police officers, prosecutors, paralegals and judges on FGM-related laws and procedures is essential for effective prosecution of perpetrators.

FGM Awareness Campaign – HAI

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The contents of this article are from Horn of Africa institute (HAI), an AWDF grantee partner working in Kenya supported  under the Leading from South.