*This op-ed was orinially published in the Feb. 6th print edition of The Daily Nation, the Kenyan newspaper.
There are many things we know – with certainty – about female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). We know that more than 200 million women and girls in the world have undergone FGM/C. We know that it happens in parts of Kenya – and that it is against the law in this country. While the evidence of FGM/C’s physical and mental harms is well-documented, we know there are people who support it as a cultural practice. We also know that many people are against it: people who see an obligation to respect the human rights of girls and women.