july 2012. fgm/c involves partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other...

July 2012

FGM/C Abandonment in Kenya

Contributing to the development of an

innovative approach on collective social change

Defining FGM/C

FGM/C involves partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other deliberate injury to the female genital organs whether for cultural or non- therapeutic reasons.

Tackling the issue in Kenya

*Kenya has made an important move towards the abandonment of FGM/C in September 2011, with the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Bill 2010 which was signed into law.

*Besides the application of the law for an effective enforcement, the challenge of introducing innovative ways of partnering with religious and traditional groups and other organizations and institutions interested in supporting and promoting social change.

Current situation

*FGM in Kenya is generally performed on girls under 10 years of age and leads to varying amounts of scar formation.

*FGM/C is traditionally practised in all but five of Kenya's 43 ethnic groups.

*But the practice, condemned by the Kenya government, is still nearly universal in some communities, including among the Kisii, Maasai, Somali, Samburu and Kuria ethnic groups.

Figures…..

*Latest data (preliminary reports of the 2008-2009 Demographic and Health Survey) show that nearly half of women ages 45-49 had been cut compared to only 15 per cent of those age 15-19.

Applying the Social Norms Concepts…

*Empirical expectations: FGM/C derived from social pressure and is conditioned by the behaviour of the community. In the Mungiki community it’s an old traditional practice and an initiation to womanhood.

*Normative expectations: in the refugee camps (Somali population), it is often considered a prerequisite for marriage. Woman accepts her status / male dominance.

Applying the Social Norms Concepts…

*Attitudes / personal normative beliefs: belief that cutting is a religious requirement.

*Factual beliefs: medicalization as a positive reinforcement; perception that young girls are not infected by HIV. There are also economic reasons” loss of dowry if a girl is not circumcised.

FGM/C, a social norm…

*FGM/C is not only a social convention but also a social norm. It’s a social norm to control virginity for marriage purpose.

*FGM/C depends on mutual beliefs, conditional preferences and expectations of the relevant population. This entails that the decision-making process on FGM/C is interdependent, no individual can change the norm on her own.

FGM/C, a social norm…

*FGM/C is maintained by a deeply rooted social norm.

*The gist of abandonment process is about “inter-dependent decision” and “reciprocal expectations”.

Some reasons for the perpetuation of the practice…

*The practice is seen as a rite of passage to womanhood;

*Some influential community leaders are blocking change and falling into community expectations;

*In some communities, FGM/C is seen as a women’s issue, propagated by women, for women.

*Some community leaders do not want to go against FGM/C because they fear losing authority in their community.

Strategies developed so far …

*The country has established legal measures for the abandonment of FGM/C.

*These legal measures were/are seen as tools to protect individual women and guide the behaviour of governmental law enforcement officers and serve as a magnet pulling the local custom in the moral direction favourable to women and girls.


* An “organized diffusion strategy” through which the knowledge and actions of the community can spread to other families or communities through social networks.

*Local leaders public statements and community dialogue on FGM/C

*Public Declarations in 6 communities

*Educational forums for target groups and Fistula Campaign initiatives

*Establishment of and support to anti FGM/C and GBV networks


*FGM/C abandonment has been integrated and expanded into policies, planning and programming:

*47 county hospitals have included prevention of FGM/C issues during ante/post-natal/immunization

*139 health providers trained on prevention /stopping medicalization of FGM/C


*Partnerships with religious and traditional groups and other organizations—have been consolidated:

*Forums with religious leaders held

*Incorporated FGM/C/ Gender issues in various church activities

*Visit by Muslim Scholars to Sudan -re-affirmed opposition to FGM-saw are contributing to larger movement

*5 religious edicts by Muslim (3) Christians(2) in support of abandonment of FGM/C


*The media played a crucial role in disseminating accurate information to households and in creating awareness about positive social changes occurring within communities.

*Programmatic activities have included non-formal education to provide new knowledge and skills, as well as non-directive dialogue amongst women, men and across generations.

Programmatic weaknesses identified …

*The legal reform seen as a stronger force in influencing behaviour and did not invest in a certain amount of deliberation and consultation with the core groups and organize the timeliness of organized diffusion, prior to any attempt of enforcement.

*In 2010-2011- 6 FGM related cases were taken to court.

*Legal action by itself is insufficient to bring about a change in this social convention….

New or modified Strategy for addressing the challenge…

*It’s important to combine the three regulatory mechanisms: legal norms, moral norms and social norms;

*Legislative reforms for FGM/C abandonment should convey a sense of “coherence” between basic local values consistent with human rights principles;

*They should contribute to reducing the social cost for those who oppose the social norm


*Important to engage a variety of actors who can play a role in preventing the practice and changing attitudes and behaviours.

*FGM/C is a community practice and, consequently, is most effectively given up the community acting together, rather than individuals acting on their own.


*Need for a committed government that supports elimination of FGM/C with positive policies, effective enforcement of legislation and provision of resources.

*Government has a role to play in mainstreaming of FGM/C issues into national policies, plans and programmes on reproductive health care and poverty eradication.


*Parliamentarians will ensure that resources are allocated to prevention campaigns and will be invited to sensitize their constituencies and play a role model for the abandonment of FGM/C.

*Communities tend to raise the issue of FGM/C when they increase their awareness and understanding of human rights and/or responsibility, self-reliance and social justice discourse.


*Community and natural leaders to support an appreciative, non-coercive, non-judgmental approach with focus on enjoyment of human rights and empowerment of women and girls.

*There is also evidence that harmonization of social, moral and legal norms which is consistent with human rights principles, can lead to positively change people’s behaviour on a large scale.


*Members of the community should have the opportunity to express their opinion, give arguments, counter arguments, try various ways to think about the problem.

*Importance of supporting a genuine values deliberation to reach an explicit and public affirmation.


*The legal community (judges and police) will be involved as part of a “social environment” in which they have a role to play in order for a large-scale change to occur.

*They would need to be sensitized on the importance of harmonizing legal, social and moral norms to create an environment where large-scale change can occur.

*Equilibrating moral, social and legal norms can be an effective method for abandonment and change.


*Civil society organizations will have a critical role in informing communities about the FGM Act, support victims and educate men/youth.

*Women’s rights groups will engage neighbouring villages and socially connected communities through relevant social networks, so that the decision to abandon FGM/C can be spread and sustained.

*Diffusion will spread not only within the residential community but also beyond it to other communities, not always nearby, that intermarry.


*Health care providers will be encouraged to establish a Code of Conduct and a supervision body for preventing members of the medical community from performing FGM/C.

*They will be trained to recognize and manage the physical, sexual and psychological consequences of FGM/C.

*They will also be trained on their duties to report cases of FGM/C and keep records of FGM/C related medical consequences to be used as evidence for law enforcement.

Conclusion …..

*Demonstrate effectiveness in stimulating and empowering communities towards the abandonment of FGM/C

*Engage all sectors of the society, including traditional, religious and government leaders.

*Mobilize young people, so as to effect a change in perceptions of FGM/C and promote gender equality at an earlier age.

*Use of culturally sensitive approaches and focus on the interdependence of decision-making

Conclusion …..

*I believe that once the social norms changes, where previously there was social pressure to perform FGM/C, there will be social pressure to abandon the practice.

*When the process of abandonment reaches this point, the social norm of not cutting will become self-enforcing and abandonment continues swiftly and spontaneously.

july 2012. fgm/c involves partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other...

Documents

abandonment of fgmc

community expectations

social change

mungiki community

rooted social norm

normative expectations

social pressure

social convention