“Ending FGM is A COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY!” – Sadia Hussein

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is one of the most extreme manifestations of the disempowerment of girls and women. It is a deep-rooted social practice that is carried out because, in practising communities, it is believed to be essential for marriage and ‘proper’ womanhood.

It is carried out because it is believed to be in a girl’s best interests: uncut girls cannot marry and would be condemned to a life of stigma and discrimination. Even where there is awareness of the problems caused by FGM, the practice is continued because of the link to girls’ and women’s acceptability in society and to their marriageability.

FGM is a highly neglected area, and progress towards ending the practice has been hindered by too little attention, evidence, commitment and resources.

Besides, banning or condemning FGM can have a counter-productive impact because it can easily be perceived as an attack on communities’ culture and risks sending the practice underground.

How can FGM be diplomatically ended?

Saddled to answers that question (and more) is Sadia Hussein – if there is one word to describe Sadia’s tenacity in the mission to end FGM, it is “passionate”. She fully lives out her passions in this mission, and has the ability to build programmes from the ground up, influencing people to join her along the way to condemn FGM.

Sadia lives by the same standards in her professional life and personal life, enhancing the lives of those she touches along the way. A rare person, for sure!

She hails from Tana River County in Coastal Kenya. At the age of 10, she underwent the cut and to date she remembers the pain she experienced, coupled with the trauma and other complications that followed.

Sadia Hussein

Today, she is an anti-FGM advocate, who works tirelessly, travelling beyond her county to productively sensitize people on the ills of FGM.

She uses her social media platforms to drive the conversation about the need to #EndFGM. She has also written and sang a song that encourages the communities to abandon the practice.

She speaks with Stamp Out GBV @stampoutgbv on her life and her fight to end FGM! Excerpts…

How did you develop such passion for the work against female genital mutilation?

Sadia: I developed the passion when I gave birth to my first born in November, 2007. I was on labour pain for three days and gave up on life. That's when I realized that FGM has lifetime complications. In February 2008, I went out to shout to the society that enough is enough! Immediately I started the campaign against FGM.

With such a complex cause, what do you think are the best methods you would recommend to address this issue?

SADIA: There are many methods but the best among the pack are:

a.                 Community Dialogues. We should engage local leaders, women, youths and men, to accept the abandonment of FGM.

b.                 Media to End FGM. One Radio talkshow can reach over ten thousand people with the same message. Media is powerful and key.

c.                  Trainings of stakeholders all inclusive on why we should end FGM.

d.                 Religious Leaders Conference/Verdict/Sensitization on Religious perspective on FGM. Many communities are using religion as an excuse to continue the practice.

e.                  Young men to accept marrying uncut girls at village outreaches.

These are just but few of best practices.

Sadia Hussein

In spite of the international outcry, why do people still indulge in the practice of FGM?

SADIA: People still indulge in FGM because of three reasons – they are:

a.     For fear that uncut girls might not get married and may not be accepted by the community.

b.     Practising FGM is a religious deed and if you don't cut, then, you maybe against the religion and teachings of Islam.

c.      Practicing FGM is a cultural right and if you don't perform, then, you will be following Western Culture or disobeying your forefathers’ deeds.

What's your take on the medicalization of FGM?

SADIA: I don't support medicalization of FGM simply because it opens loopholes and avenues for people to continue cutting girls at villages. How can people with no health facility around, the nearest dispensary being 7 km away, have access to medical practitioner to perform the cut?

We should always focus on rural areas when talking about medicalization of FGM. FGM is highly practised at rural areas where there is no access to roads, network, education facility, health facility among others.

Let's consider these facts!

Why do activists talk less about male circumcision than female circumcision?

SADIA: Male circumcision is more of improving his health. While female is more of subjecting to other infections. Remember FGM is removing the genitalia, (clitoris, labia minora and majora and then, stitching together) infibulatio which decreases woman's sexuality, while for man you are increasing his sexuality.

How would it feel when his penis is chopped off? His testicles chopped off?

This is exactly what's FGM is – chopping everything from a woman!!!

How would you rate your Government's stance on proscribing the practice? Please, relate this with other African countries.

SADIA: In Kenya, we have a Board in place that spearheads the #EndFGM campaign. The Law is in place.

But what is lacking in many African countries is the implementation of the Law, enforcement of the Law by Politicians, Law enforcement officers and lack of collaboration between Law enforcers and community.

There is a gap!  The Law itself cannot work unless implemented by everyone.

Government has banned FGM, which is a great move but there is need for sensitization and awareness creation on the need to follow the Law as well as collaborate in order to implement it.

What suggestions do you have to further engage civil society in Africa against FGM?

SADIA: Civil Society Organizations need to partner with community-led groups that have the passion to end FGM because the wearer of the shoes, knows where it pinches! Grassroots activists have the knowledge of their communities better and understand strategies on how to influence abandonment of FGM.

CSOs should pull resources together and support grassroots initiatives to end FGM. Ending FGM is collective responsibility. Media plays a big role and we should maximize it. Let us all (activists, parents, men, youth, religious leaders, government, CSOs, Media etc) join hands to end FGM. Together we can end FGM!

THANK YOU.