Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU) and its partners organize intergenerational talks on the detrimental consequences of female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage in Uganda’s culturally affected female genital mutilation hotspots.
Together they have formed child protection clubs in communities, and integrated economic approaches such as teaching crafts and drama so that early marriage is not a default solution to alleviate financial hardship.
Dialogues with reformed circumcisers, religious leaders, and elders, according to RHU Medical and UNFPA Coordinator Demeter Margret Namuyobo, have advanced the abolition of female genital mutilation.
“Through these conversations, the girls, their parents, and community leaders learn more about how to detect, prevent, and counsel survivors of FGM in their own communities, but also improve their financial wellbeing” Namuyobo explained.
Since 2020, during the COVID -19 pandemic more than 1000 girls, women and men have benefited from the dialogues in Sebei and Karamoja sub region of Uganda.
But, according to Hon. Flavia Kabahenda Rwabuhoro, head of the Parliamentary Committee on Gender, Labour and Social Development, this isn’t enough, and she proposes a thorough review of all existing policies and legal frameworks in order to effectively combat GBV and its damaging practices.
“A number of policy papers and legal frameworks (GBV, FGM, and Child Acts) must be examined to address current gaps so that we can develop a comprehensive plan and initiatives to handle GBV cases,” Hon. Kabahenda stated.
She believes that in order to do so, she must first raise awareness about the importance of changing one’s thinking.
Some of the efforts are beginning to bear fruit, with some former cutters laying down their knives in order to put an end to FGM in Uganda.
Monica Cheptilak, a former cutter in Loro Village, hails from the Amudat district. She now opposes any parent who requests that she perform the rite on their child.
Most women are unaware that some of their health problems are linked to FGM, according to Cheptilak.
“They are uneducated, just as I was before attending instructional sessions that resulted to my denial of female genital mutilation,” she says.
The theme for the 2022 World zero tolerance to FGM is,” accelerating investment to end female genital mutilation”.
In 2021, the United Nations Women estimated that 4.16 million girls and women around the world would be subjected to genital mutilation. Furthermore, COVID-19 disruptions may have resulted in as many as 2 million additional cases of FGM by 2030 that would have been avoided otherwise. Together we can change this through taking proactive action, in 2022 against FGM in Uganda and the entire world. No girl or woman deserves to go through this torture.
Aldon Walukamba G, the author, is the RHU Media Advocacy and Documentation Coordinator.
