FGM among the Maasai of Kenya - Term Paper Example

? FGM among the Maasai of Kenya Number Introduction Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) refers to the removal of an entire or a part of the external parts of the female sexual organ. In most practicing societies, the Maasai included, popular opinion towards FGM by the Maasai of Kenya is that its effects are more counterproductive than benevolent on the life of the innocent girl, and it should be disbanded. It is for this reason that several organizations exist to help conscientize the Maasai of Kenya into making a complete dereliction on FGM, by citing the danger the socio-cultural practice accosts and the rights and worth of the girl child. To this effect, the extent to which FGM can be regarded as a curse [not a blessing] to the innocent Kenyan Maasai girl child is to be discussed in the discourse that ensues forthwith. In the first place, there is a multiplicity of negative health consequences which are associated with FGM. First, FGM readily brings with it, hemorrhage, since the sponsors who preside over it are usually bereft of adequate surgical or clinical skills. Sponsors in this case are those who preside over this rite of passage. Again, the clandestine nature with which FGM is practiced makes adequate preparations for the ritual nearly impossible. This includes the failure to feature clinical tools to control bleeding as part of the sponsors’ paraphernalia. Largely, the legal proscription of the act by the Government of Kenyan 9 years ago, underpins the clandestine nature of FGM practices. According to Maasai Rising (2013), the gravity of the matter above cannot be downplayed. Despite the Government of Kenya’s act of outlawing the FGM, the prevalence of FGM among the Maasai of Kenya remains at an appalling 95-97%. It is estimated that 5% of this population is lost annually, to hemorrhage sustained from the rite of passage. What exacerbates the situation is the fact that the age of eligible FGM candidates keeps reducing. Candidates are people who have been designated for initiation. The reason behind the reduction in the age of the potential FGM candidates among the Kenyan Maasai girls is that the Government of Kenya has appointed non-Maasai teachers to enlighten and conscientize the Maasai girl child on FGM and its dangers. These teachers usually teach in the upper years of primary school education, where most female students are considered ripe for circumcision. Because of this increased enlightenment among Maasai girls, the age of circumcision gets lowered to parry away rebellion from the girl child who is older and more enlightened. This means that presently, most candidates are not those at the onset of puberty, but those between 4 and 9 years. The crux of the matter herein is that the younger candidates are not strong enough to withstand to heavy bleeding and succumb to it. Because of the failure to make proper arrangements to deal with clinical complications that may accost FGM, there are other pitfalls that follow it as a rite of passage. Cases of urethral damage also highly and consistently accost FGM since sponsors who preside over FGM are not clinically or medically trained. Again, reports by Maasai Evangelistic Association (2012) show that FGM is inextricably concomitant with urinary tract infections, cervical infections, chronic pelvic infections and dermatoid cysts. Sometimes, the birth canal is interfered with to the point of causing dangerous childbirth in future. In most instances, the spread of the HIV/AIDS virus is easily aided by the practice of FGM since only one blade is used on all participating candidates. The blade is only wiped on grass and nearby vegetative undergrowth to wipe off blood. This makes it too easy for infections to pass from one candidate to another, should one candidate be a disease carrier. However, the Maasai Evangelistic Association (2012) observes that it is important to note that the malevolent nature FGM is not merely embodied by the health implications that accompany the practice. To argue otherwise is to insinuate that there would be no problem with FGM, if it was to be conducted under cleaner and more clinically prepared conditions. In fact, Kenya’s Ministry of Health will be committing a fatal mistake by subjecting FGM to medicalization, instead of outlawing it. This is because medicalization of FGM is a serious barrier to a total dereliction on FGM, since it decreases the outward risks characterizing FGM, instead of eradicating FGM altogether. The above standpoint is based on the fact that FGM as a quasi-religious practice among the Maasai of Kenya is wrong, not because of its health complications, but because it contravenes the fundamental rights of the girl child. In itself, FGM contravenes several human rights issues such as the protection from violence, the right to reproduce, women’s right, children’s rights. Children’s rights are contravened in the sense that FGM entails subjecting children between the age of 4 and 9 to an extremely painful rite of passage procedure without their consent, and outside the legal provisions. At the same time, all people, women included, are to be accorded protection from violence, yet the exaction of FGM is a form of violence on women. This is because FGM through male-dominated forces of acculturation and socialization sanctions and perpetuates forced female circumcision. The aspect of force does not only bring about an element of violence from which women are to be protected, but is also covert in nature. The aspect of the use of force to perpetrate FGM is covert so that it is impossible to see a girl being dragged to a circumcision rendezvous. However, this force comes in the form of customs and cultural practices which extensively discriminate against women who have not undergone FGM. Part of this covert use of violence is carried out by subjecting non-FGM women to social stigma and denying her the right to marry, associate, reproduce and found a family. Uncircumcised women are pejoratively referred to as children and the unmarriageable (Olekina, 2010). Likewise, denying the girl child access to marriage further inculcates both social and financial stigma as the girl’s family does not get the chance to participate in accepting dowry from the girl’s suitors. Instead, the girl remains an extra mouth to be perpetually fed, by virtue of not being married. Again, FGM is rightly considered a curse to the Maasai girl child since it denies her the right to reproduce through the mutilation of female genitals. Given that FGM is carried on the Maasai girl child and contravenes all the aforementioned rights and freedom of the candidates, the Government of Kenya considers FGM a violation of the 2001 Children’s Act. In a separate wavelength, FGM remains an affront to the right to sexuality and sexual dignity of the Kenyan Maasai girl child. This is because, at the very centermost intention of FGM, is the intent to deprive the girl child the ability to experience sexual pleasure. This is done so as to abate chances for promiscuity and to extirpate sexual adventure among married women. Nevertheless, this observation remains an ineffective way of dealing with marital problems. Conclusion In respect to all the pitfalls that accost FGM, it is clear that FGM is an anathema to the Maasai girl child in Kenya. While there many drawbacks that accompany FGM, a single gain that comes with the practice is yet to be established. To this effect, the need for the Government of Kenya to join hands with both local and international nongovernmental organizations cannot be gainsaid. Nonetheless, the government should incorporate the Maasai community in the war against FGM, if sustainable change is to be made. In a twist of irony, although FGM is a woman’s problem, yet the need to include men and boys in the war on FGM is critical. Women, girls, boys and men should all be incorporated in education on FGM and related socioeconomic issues, if long-term elimination of FGM is to be realized. This is because, boys and men become husbands to these girls, and husbands have the final say in the Maasai culture. Men can therefore help eliminate FGM if they are more enlightened. Enlightened Women are also likely to decline the idea of their daughters being taken for FGM rites. The school curriculum should also be revisited to accommodate the rights of the child, sexuality and reproduction. This will heighten awareness among boys, girls and the entire community, on what FGM entails. References Maasai Evangelistic Association. (2012). Female Genital Mutilation. Nairobi: Maasai Evangelistic Association. Maasai Rising. (2013). What Is FGM? I Stand Against Female Genital Mutilation. Nairobi: Maasai Rising. Olekina, L. (May 7, 2010). FGM: Maasai Women Speak Out. Nairobi: Maasai Education Discovery. Read More