Commentaries

FGM - Bogiakumu Village Women

Details

Published on Tuesday, 24 July 2007 19:28

Eradicating Female Circumcision:-This project aims to create a group of women and girls in the community who will advocate against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and to have men who support them in eliminating all types of violence against women and girls. The funds will be used for project meetings at six schools, where dances with an anti-FGM message will be performed; speeches will be given by medical experts on the adverse effects of FGM; group discussions in 4 groups (boys, girls, men, and women) will be conducted; and testimonial sessions will be held.

From the first Report: Since July 2006 we have carried out our project (Re: Eradicating FGM) in four schools. WE HAVE BROKEN TABOO: To discuss female circumcision in the Abagusii community is taboo. Words such as sex, libido, clitoris, okwaroka (circumcise), are seriously taboo and it takes a brave woman to mention them to a crowd or group of both men and women. Our group�s great achievement is that we have broken taboo; we have made the community people to openly discuss about FGM and other related sexual issues such as AIDS. We have made people know that it is for their own good to open up and discuss sexual matters, even in public, if need be. The FORMATION OF GROUPS OF MEN who have denounced FGM is underway. These are the men we are presently using as catalysts in group discussions. We have also identified women and girls at each venue who have denounced FGM and we also use them as catalysts in their groups during group discussions. Through songs and dances by BVWG and also topics discussed during group discussions, PEOPLE ARE NOW AWARE OF THE SHORT AND LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF FGM. The dance communicated taboo subject efficiently and effectively in public without embarrassing anyone, boys, girls, men or women. Complete report available upon request. From the final report: The majority of the pupils, parents and teachers have not denounced FGM. This is because FGM is hard to eradicate, especially in Abagusii community where the practice is deeply-rooted in the people�s culture. We performed dances that carried anti-FGM messages. The message carried in the dances and songs were: (i) The adverse effects of the cut. (ii) The irrelevance of the practice. (iii) Give me my rights as a woman. (iv) Give me education not the knife. The advantage of the dance/Song activity in the stopping of FGM was: (i) It entertained, therefore attracted the attendance of the community people; at the same time the dances passed the information. (ii) The dances communicated taboo message effectively without offending or embarrassing anyone in the meetings. Words, explanations, illustrations, topics etc which could not be discussed because they were taboo was dealt with in song and dance. (iii) The songs were mastered by girls and women who attended the project meetings and could be heard being sung outside the project meetings e.g. in class by the girls, on the way to school, and at the farms by women. Which means the songs created impact on the audience. Lesson Learnt: Entertainments (e.g. song, dance, drama, puppetry etc) are essential component in any project dealing with the eradication of FGM. Since people are reluctant in attending project meetings that deal with embarrassing taboo issues like FGM, entertainment is the best way. It attracts them to the meeting and when present they receive the information. Community people will not attend meetings with only speeches and teachings; that is why many anti-FGM projects carried out by many Non-Governmental Organizations have failed to create impact. They bore people with speeches, telling them what they hate to hear--taboo issues.

Quotes from men: 1. � We have circumcised our daughters for all these years. We have not seen any benefit out of it compared to the Luo or Luyha tribes who do not circumcise. It seems we have been following a cultural practice that has no benefit but harmful to our women.� 2. �Kikuyus, Luos and others do not circumcise, and yet their daughters are healthy and learned and nothing has happened to them.� He said this in connection to the belief by Kisii people that without circumcision something harmful can happen to someone denouncing the practice. Yet other tribes who don�t circumcise, have shown over the years that nothing can ever happen to anyone uncircumcised. 3. �Some of us are already old and have nothing to do with this project. All my daughters were cut and all are married. But I realize the cut was not necessary after all. However all is not lost. My sons and daughters have daughters. These grand daughters are the ones I must safeguard. I will ensure they don�t get circumcised. I am urging young men who are here, newly-married to spare their daughters from the cut, because you are lucky you have received the information before your daughters get the cut. During our times, projects like these ones could not be carried out. No one could be brave to denounce culture. Circumcision was useful during our days. It had a function of bringing people together. Not these days. It has lost its relevance. Let us observe cultural practices that are of benefit to our lives in the modern times.� Quotes from women: 1. �My husband married a second wife, a Luyha woman, who is not circumcised, because I could not satisfy him sexually; my libido is low, as I sometimes feel some little pain during intercourse.� She didn�t know it was because of the cut until when she attended our project and participated in group discussion on FGM. 2. In the girls� group a 10-year-old girl is the case of study. She has vowed several times never to go in for the cut. Her parents, who never miss project meetings, say they decided to give her chance to make her own decision whether she wants the cut or not. She doesn�t find it easy at school. Her classmates abuse her egesagane (You uncircumcised girl), an abusive word in Abagusii community. But she has vowed she will never be intimidated. She is one of those determined cases surprisingly coming from such an innocent age.

Overall Achievements: 1) WE HAVE BROKEN TABOO: To discuss female circumcision in the Abagusii community is taboo. Words such as sex, libido, clitoris, okwaroka (circumcise), are seriously taboo and it takes a brave woman to mention them to a crowd or group of both men and women. Our group�s great achievement is that we have broken taboo; we have made the community people to openly discuss about FGM and other related sexual issues such as AIDS. We have made people know that it is for their own good to open up and discuss sexual matters, even in public, if need be. Unlike before, people can now stand up and mention, use, and explain about their libido having been eroded by the cut, clot on their clitoris as a result of the cut, problems during birth and c-caesarian operation as a result of the cut etc. (2) The FORMATION OF GROUPS: In each of the four areas of coverage, we have successfully identified men who have completely denounced FGM and have vowed before the community never to circumcise. At each venue we have written down their names. These are the men we have been using as catalysts in group discussions and these are the men who will be used in future projects to mobilize others. The formation of groups of men is our greatest success. We have also formed strong groups of women who have completely denounced FGM and have vowed before everyone else never to circumcise. A group of girls has also been formed. These are mostly, although not all of them, the daughters of men and women who have denounced FGM