FRONTIERS Projects | Managing and Preventing FGC Among the Somali Community in Kenya

FRONTIERS PROJECT
Managing and Preventing Female Genital Cutting (FGC) Among the Somali Community in Kenya

The design of this project was based on the results of a diagnostic study undertaken in 2004 to better understand the practice of female genital cutting among the Somali in North Eastern Province and in Nairobi (see "Understanding the Practice of Female Genital Cutting (FGC) Among the Somali and Management of Its Complications"). The diagnostic study found that the health system is ill-equipped to serve women who have been cut, and particularly infibulated women who are pregnant and delivering. This lack stems from an overall weakness in the availability and quality of maternal and neonatal health services in North Eastern Province. The study also confirmed that FGC is a deeply rooted and widely supported cultural practice. Several closely related reasons are used to sustain the practice: perceived religious obligation, family honor, and virginity as a prerequisite for marriage.

This project, conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, seeks to: (1) strengthen existing antenatal and delivery services in health facilities used by Somali women so that the facilities are better able to manage pregnancy and delivery by infibulated women; and (2) support the development, implementation, and evaluation of a community-based intervention to encourage the Somali community to abandon this harmful traditional practice that not only contravenes girls' and women’s human rights but also is illegal in Kenya. The project will strengthen clinic services in the Wajir and Mandera Districts of Kenya's North Eastern Province in response to the identified need for skills-strengthening in managing FGC-related complications generally, and specifically during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and immediately postpartum. The project will include training in the medical management of the complications of FGC, which include both immediate and long-term complications such as painful scar tissue; damaged urethra, perineum, and anal sphincter, including fistula; and greater susceptibility to endogenous and sexually transmitted infections. Components for infection prevention, pain management, and sexuality counseling will be included in the training.

Given that the diagnostic study found very strong adherence to the belief that FGC is a religious requirement, the project will test a community-based intervention working with Islamic leaders and scholars on the religious aspects of FGC in Wajir District. The engagement of credible religious leaders as advocates for total abandonment (and not reduction in severity or medicalization) of the practice is a critical and absolutely necessary initial step.

The community-based intervention will also include discussions with political, administrative, and other opinion leaders to discuss and debate their personal perceptions about gender relations, relationships within marriage, and the role of FGC. The objectives of the meetings are to achieve group-wide consensus that FGC is not necessary for marriage or for any other reason, and for the leaders to commit themselves to participate in community-level meetings in which they would be willing to speak out against the practice.

Location

Wajir and Mandera Districts, North Eastern Province, Kenya

Duration

June 2005–February 2008

Population Council researchers

Maryam Sheikh Abdi, Ian Askew

Non-Council collaborators

Division of Reproductive Health, Ministry of Health

GTZ/Kenya

United Nations Children's Fund/Kenya

Donor

US Agency for International Development

Publications/Resources
Council researchers' names appear in boldface type.

2008
"Kenya: Islamic scholars find no religious justification for FGM/C," FRONTIERS OR Summary no. 73. Washington, DC: Population Council. (full text)

2007
Abdi, Maryam Sheikh. “A religious oriented approach to addressing FGM/C among the Somali community of Wajir, Kenya,” FRONTIERS Report. Nairobi: Population Council (PDF, 752 KB)

Kenya Ministry of Health. "Management of complications, pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period in the presence of FGM/C: A reference manual for health service providers." Nairobi: Division of Reproductive Health, Ministry of Health. (PDF, 1.2 MB)

2006
Kenya Ministry of Health and Population Council. “Reproductive health update trainings for health workers in North Eastern Province, Garissa.” Nairobi: Ministry of Health and Population Council. (PDF, 378 KB)

Related Project

Understanding the Practice of Female Genital Cutting (FGC) Among the Somali and Management of Its Complications