“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.
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