The Ministry of Public Service and Gender and the Anti FGM Board with support from UNFPA hosted a Strategic Dialogue on FGM.
The watershed event brought together develop- ment partners and other stakeholders from the private sector and community to deliberate on the National Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation by 2022.
The strategic dialogue provided a platform for dis- cussion and reflection on accelerating the pres- idential vision to end FGM in Kenya by 2022, and moving the Nairobi Summit ICPD25 national commitment to action.
The Permanent Secretary for Gender, Prof. Col- lette Akoth Suda, inspired the stakeholders by as- suring them of the Government’s commitment to alleviate the traumatic experiences of women and girls as a result of the FGM practice.
“Our strategic dialogue today is aimed at em- bracing the road map that will lead us to connect- ing with attainment of Sustainable Development Goals for women and girls in Kenya through elim- ination of FGM,” she said.
Shariffa Noor, 12-year-old girl from Isiolo County where the FGM prevalence rate is 86% moved the audience with a poem detailing the pain of FGM. The adolescent girl urged parents to abandon the practice as it ruined the lives of young people who exude so much potential.
The national Chairman of the Boda-boda Associ- ation of Kenya (Motor Cycle Riders), Kevin Muba- di, stated the group’s support to eliminate FGM. He pledged to mobilize the more than one million youthful members of the association to protect girls from FGM and campaign against the back- ward practice. He appealed to stakeholders and partners to back the efforts by the riders.
Development partners at the meeting lauded the engagement of traditional and religious leaders and youth by UNFPA, terming it inclusive and sustainable.
H.E. Ms. Lisa Stadelbauer, the Canadian High Commissioner and Permanent Representative to the UN, opined that the declining FGM prevalence in Kenya was clear indication that the nation was at the tipping point of final triumph against the practice and should not permit any push back.
“The presidential commitment made in Canada was fantastic. Change is already happening and it is important to accelerate the movement. We need to see what is working and how we could use those successful actions to end FGM by 2022,” she stressed.
The UNFPA Representative, Dr. Olajide Ademola, applauded the vision of His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta, the Government of Kenya, do- nors and other stakeholders.
“For us, the only number which we can accept is zero. The President’s vision of Ending FGM by 2022 gave us responsibilities as partners and community members to support and sustain the dignity and integrity of women and girls. We ap- preciate donors who have provided support to us but we need more collective action and resources to end FGM by 2022,” he emphasized.
The Representative called upon the stakeholders to embrace “Strategy and speed! Community and collaboration! Partnership for progress! Reforms for results! And Leadership for leverage!” to realize an FGM free Kenya by 2022.
