This is a guest
post by Michael Ahabwe Mugerwa, the
Founder and Executive Director
of the ICOD Action Network
Female
Genital Mutilation (FGM) is recognized internationally as a violation of the
human rights of girls and women and constitutes an extreme form of
discrimination against women. FGM, which is often carried out with unsterilized
instruments, can cause severe health and psychological problems and in some
cases, girls bleed to death or die from infections. Later in life, FGM can lead
to complications in childbirth and increase the risk of the mother and baby
dying. Despite national and international legal frameworks condemning the
practice, FGM is still practiced in 28 countries in Africa.
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| Some of the girls who fled home, are now living at a school Image (c) Michael Ahabwe Mugerwa |
In
East Africa, Female Genital Mutilation is practiced by several tribes despite
recently passed legislation against it in East Africa Community member
States. Hundreds of infants, girls and
women are still being forced to undergo Female Genital Mutilation every month
and perpetuators are rarely prosecuted. Local political leaders fear to
publicly condemn the practice for fear of losing elections and in some cases
they have helped offenders escape being prosecuted in Courts of Law. In Kenya, according to the most recent
Demographic Health Survey (DHS), the estimated prevalence of FGM in girls and
women (aged 15-49 years) is 27.1%.
Promoters
of the practice argue that FGM initiates girls into womanhood and increases their
chances of being married. Our
interactions with communities show that FGM has led to increased child
marriages when girls between 8 and 17 are cut. Some of the girls we talked to
had been forced to undergo Female Genital Mutilation, developed fistula and
were forcibly married off by their parents in exchange of cows. Some of the
girls pass out urine uncontrollably and require collective surgery to fix
fistula. We working very hard to make sure we respond to this as soon as
possible. We are working with local grassroots
organizations to identify those who needs surgery, we hope we can raise some
funds to pay for the costs needed for surgery and follow up visits to the
doctor.
Inspiration for our work
Since April 15, our small team of 6
has been filming a documentary film to expose the dangers of Female Genital
Mutilation and work with communities to end and support victims. We are excited
by the prospect of raising awareness about Female Genital Mutilation and
inspire more people to join us to end Female Genital Mutilation and other forms
of violence against women. We know ending this kind of abuse and
violence against girls and women won’t be easy, that's why we are reaching as
many people as we can so we can heal, inspire and lead these girls and women into a peaceful and
safer future.
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| Chasing the Cut: Film Poster Image (c) Michael Ahabwe Mugerwa |
We are not just making a film but working with communities and
local activists to remind communities of their obligations to end Female
Genital Mutilation and early marriages.
Supported by ICOD Action Network, we have taken upon our selves to help
girls and mothers with extreme cases of fistula get free collective surgery from
a specialist. Some communities live 90
kilometers from the nearest health facility where such specialized surgery can
be done while others are 320 kilometers away.
We are trying to raise funds on Indiegogo to get funds to pay for
reconstruction surgery of some of the girls and women, support an education
project for girls to keep them in school when they flee their
homes fearing being forced to undergo FGM and get funds to finish the
documentary in 8 new locations in East Africa.
We believe that by exposing the dangers of Female
Genital Mutilation and working with communities to assess their strength and
needs, they can shape their own future and completely stop Female Genital
Mutilation. Join us to make this possible and lets build safer and healthier
communities together. Please support our campaign which ends in 14 days here. You can also watch the
trailer to our film, to know more about
it.
