This archive report was first published on 21 June 2021.
Published on June 21, 2021, a report by KBC highlighted the alarming rise in rape cases and early marriages in Mandera County.
The Mandera Children Department has raised serious concern over the increasing number of rape cases in the country, with a total of 56 cases currently before the courts.
According to Abdikadir Haji, the Mandera County Director of children, parents are often reluctant to report cases of rape due to fear of ridicule or stigma within their families.
Early pregnancies and marriages have increased during the Covid-19 pandemic in the country, with Haji attributing this to cultural practices and limited formal education, particularly for girls.
Area Deputy Commissioner Mandera South emphasized the need to report any cases of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), with the government promising to take stern action against perpetrators.
Residents of Mandera have expressed gratitude to the children department for their efforts in protecting their children and combating cultural practices that encourage early marriages and FGM.
