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CONFERENCE STRENGTHENS
RESOLVE TO FIGHT (FGM) Over 100 people meeting at TEMAK's Kisumu centre in October 2004 strengthened their resolve to fight against female genital mutilation (FGM) in the districts of Kisii and Mt Elgon. The long awaited conference on female genital circumcision (FGM), earlier advertised on this website, brought together participants from the two districts, where the practise is still widespread. According to Mr. Joab Othatcher of TEMAK, the objective of the conference was to enable anti-FGM activists from the various districts to share experiences and collaborate. "Knowledge can only be useful when it is shared," said Mr. Othatcher, "nobody will make use of your wisdom if you hide it." The conference was facilitated and addressed by Alice Bratton of Woman's Voice International, an organization working with TEMAK in education on the dangers of FGM. Women talked of how they had resisted FGM as girls in spite of overwhelming pressure from relatives and the community. They had been treated as outcasts, denied gifts and encountered hostility because of refusing to submit to the rite. "We were seen as causing friction in the community and had a big problem with our grandmother, who talked about it for years," narrated Esther, one of the women. "I could resist because I was informed [against it]". Today, Esther is among those trying to convince her community to change its ways. Other women who had been circumcised as girls talked of the events accompanying female genital circumcision. Among them is Grace, who starts by saying how painful it was. She was only 12 when she was taken from her grandmother's house at 5 am. They [older women] took her to the river - she recalls how cold the water was - to make her body numb to pain. She was taken with other girls of her age. She had to go first; she was naked and had to sit on a special stone. A very strong woman covered her eyes and mouth. "If you scream, you bring omen in your family", she was warned. The knife came down and it was painful, it wasn't too sharp and cut everything off. The pain was so bad it went into her head. She was in the house for over a month and got desperately ill when they took her to the hospital, seeking medication. A trained nurse admitted
to having carried out female circumcision in the past: A plea was made for stopping the practise of female circumcision. "FGM is inhuman and goes against Biblical teachings, please don't do it to your daughters," said a statement by the participants. Alice Bratton asked everyone to tell one person a week about the conference and about FGM. "If we all commit themselves to this action, in 6 weeks time, when the FGM period starts, 6400 people will be informed." FGM is normally practiced during the end of year school holidays beginning in late November. The two day conference also featured motivational talks on fulfilling personal goals. Alice Bratton described how a television documentary on human rights abuses inflicted on women in India drew her into activism several years ago. There was praise and worship by TEMAK girls and drama skits with messages concerning HIV/Aids. |
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TEENAGE MOTHERS
& GIRLS ASSOCIATION OF KENYA
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