No Girl Should Suffer Again: Survivor Leads Fight to End FGM in Kenya

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that more than 230 million girls and women across 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM). The practice, widely recognized as a grave human rights violation, is often performed on girls between infancy and the age of 15.

In Kenya, significant progress has been made in curbing FGM. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), citing the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022, the national FGM prevalence rate fell to 15% in 2022 from 32% in 2003.

However, the practice remains deeply entrenched in certain regions, particularly among women with no formal education, where prevalence stands at 56.3%, compared to just 5.9% among women with higher education. Activists warn that without urgent and sustained interventions, these numbers could rise.

Recent reports highlight a disturbing trend where FGM is being carried out in health facilities under the guise of medical procedures. In Suswa ward, Narok East constituency, the procedure is reportedly being referred to as ‘Swahili’ to disguise its true nature. Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) remain the primary perpetrators, with one in seven Kenyan women and girls aged 15 to 49 having undergone some form of FGM.

Naomy Kelai Kolian, a survivor from the Maasai community. /HANDOUT

Among those leading the fight against FGM are Naomy Kelai Kolian, a survivor from the Maasai community and a Nguvu Change leader. She played a key role in launching the #BreakTheBlade campaign in November 2024, an initiative that symbolically breaks a blade as a pledge to end FGM in Kenya.

Kolian recounts how the practice not only inflicted physical and emotional trauma but also shattered her aspirations.

“Growing up, I was a promising athlete, but after the cut, I could no longer participate in athletics or soccer, which I loved. My academic performance declined, and I was stigmatized. Teachers misunderstood my struggles, assuming I was avoiding extracurricular activities,” she recalls.

As the world marks the International Day for the Right to the Truth on March 24—a day that acknowledges gross human rights violations and upholds the dignity of victims—Kolian emphasizes the need for intensified global efforts to eradicate FGM.

“No girl or woman should ever have to endure the pain of FGM again. It is a grave violation of human rights, and it must stop. No talent should be lost to FGM. Every girl deserves a future full of possibilities and dreams,” she asserts.

To further protect vulnerable girls, Kolian has launched an online campaign urging the Narok County Government to establish operational rescue centres in the Narok East constituency. These centres, she argues, would provide immediate shelter and protection to at-risk girls and facilitate their reintegration into safe environments.

She also calls for strict legal action against perpetrators to serve as a deterrent. “Rescue centres are essential in offering immediate safety and intervention for girls under threat. Additionally, legal action must be taken against those violating the law to ensure justice and deterrence,” she concludes.

With activists like Kolian leading the charge, the fight against FGM continues, but much work remains to ensure that no girl in Kenya or beyond has to suffer this harmful practice again.