by RACHEL MUTHONI
Eunice Tenges’ second born daughter milks a goat. The dread locks in her hair indicate she is ready for FGM and marriage. PHOTO/Rachel Muthoni
In a bid to retain culture and due to the greed of men who profit by marrying off their daughters, some communities in Kenya still practice Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
Section 14 of The Children’s Act of 2001 in Kenya protects children against harmful cultural practices under which FGM falls. Though this law has been in place for a decade, the practice is still rampant, especially among pastoral communities where even a girl may demand FGM since she has been brought up believing it to be part of her initiation to maturity.
While some people reason that FGM is part of their culture, similar to paying dowry or naming children after relatives, others aim at increasing their wealth. The latter is predominant among pastoral communities where the number of animals a man has determines his wealth and wins him respect, and girls are married off in exchange for camels, cattle, and goats. The cut symbolizes a woman’s initiation to adulthood, and in some communities men do not agree to marry girls who have not undergone FGM.
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