This archive report was first published on 11 December 2019.
On Monday, Kajiado County took a significant step towards eradicating Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) by launching a policy aimed at ending the practice at the community level.
The policy, which focuses on the principles of gender equality, inclusivity, and non-discrimination of the girl child, comes at a time when studies show that the practice is still prevalent in the county, with 78% of the Maasai community in Kajiado affected.
According to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS, 2014), approximately 21% of women and girls between the ages of 15-49 in Kenya have undergone FGM.
Speaking at the launch, Governor Joseph Lenku's wife, Edna, who was the guest of honour, emphasized the importance of the policy in providing a legal framework to fast-track the eradication of FGM at the county level.
"We are proud as the people of Kajiado to launch the anti-FGM policy in Kenya. FGM is harmful, and now we have our own policy in Kajiado to end this practice," said Ms Lenku.
The policy also includes the development of community-based surveillance systems to protect girls from FGM and offer psychosocial support and mentorship programmes to them.
