By Mashariki Correspondent
Traditional circumcisors operating in Tharaka region in Tharaka-Nithi County have changed tact to evade the law, a child rights organisation has said.
Though Plan International’s programme coordinator in Tharaka Faith Mpara says Female Genital Mutilation is on the decline, the circumcisors had adopted new strategies to defeat justice for the girls.
Now girls were being circumcised under the guise of family parties while some were being trafficked to other locations in Tharaka or Tigania region of Meru County, she said.
Ms Mpara said initially when Plan International launched the anti FGM campaign in Tharaka prevalence rates were at 58 per cent but they had managed to reduce it to the current 46 per cent.
Close cooperation with chiefs, police, Njuri Ncheke elders and the Judiciary had reduced the number of girls undergoing the rite, Mpara said.
“We are also working with 25 reformed circumcisors in our sensitizing the community on the harmful effects of FGM on the girls. We are using them to reach out to other circumcisors wherever they are,” Mpara said.
She said the reformed women were helpful as Plan International works to convince the community to denounce FGM.
She said on average a circumcisor earned between sh5, 000 to sh7, 000 to circumcise a single girl.
Usually a circumcisor going to do it in another location has to be booked, at between sh500 tosh1, 000.
On the material time to go to the location of the circumcision she is accompanied by about four aides, with all of them going by boda bodas.
“We have also brought in the Njuri Ncheke council of elders to help us reach the young men in primary and secondary schools. We sensitise the boys on the harm that is done to the girls who are their sisters, friends or future wives. Boys have a voice in the family and if they oppose the circumcision of their sisters the fight against FGM, can be won,” said Mpara.
been jailed.performing the outlawed rite had some who were caught with chiefs, police and Judiciary She said through collaboration
