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By Isabella Maua
Over 20 Community Health Promoters from Mt Elgon have received training on how to deal with emerging trends in gender-based violence, especially Female Genital Mutilation.
The Monday training session was held at Mt. Elgon Sub County Hospital courtesy of the United Nations Fund for Population Activities in association with the county government of Bungoma.
Speaking during the session, Dr. Janet Khisa of Bungoma County called upon the CHPs to intensify their household visits and be keen on any suspicious behavioral change in girls.
“We have had previous reports of girls being fled to the neighboring country for the initiation, but nowadays, there’s an emerging trend infamously known as the medicalization of FGM,” divulged Dr. Khisa.
This practice, she explained, is the act of parents or guardians taking their girls secretly to a hospital or a medical practitioner’s premises to undergo the cut clandestinely.
Dr. Herbert Ogoti, a reproductive health officer at Cheptais, disclosed that the practice is slowly but surely gaining popularity, especially in the remote areas.
“We rely on you as our ambassadors; you’re our eyes when we can’t be present. Let the public know that any form of FGM is criminal regardless of one’s status in the community,” stressed Dr. Ogoti.
Robert Simiyu, Chairperson of CHPs from Kamuneru, thanked UNFPA for the intensified training, which has opened their eyes regarding FGM.
“The graphics that doctors have shared with us are very terrifying; we’ve seen the four types of FGM, none of which has any advantage for our girls or women; it’s only oppressive,” Simiyu observed.
Pauline Chebet, a CHP from Chemworemwo, couldn’t hide her agony on seeing the graphics on the types of FGM and exemplified UNFPA’s action to ensure zero tolerance for GBV and FGM.
“What we’ve learned and seen today is extremely disheartening; women don’t enjoy intimacy, nor do they enjoy their childbirth; in extreme cases, some have lost their lives,” said Chebet amidst tears.
Even as education and religion take center stage to overshadow tradition, young girls bank their hopes in sponsors and well-wishers like the UNFPA to debunk the myths of such backward practices that go against human rights.
UNFPA has also promised to keep track and monitor the impact of the training early February 2024.