CHAMPIONING AGAINST HARMFUL CULTURAL PRACTICES

The communities in Marsabit county and entire upper eastern and northern Kenya still have got deep rooted culture which are undiluted. The preserved culture is what is making the pastoralists communities unique but on the other hand there are some harmful cultural practices that is still practiced. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Early/forced marriages   are among the most harmful cultural practices that is done in all the cushitic communities of northern Kenya. As an organization that is championing for the right of pastoralist girls and women QDF is doing campaign against FGM and early marriages in entire marsabit county. The campaign is done from village to villages approach and also through radio shows where we publically discuss about the effects of FGM and the need of stopping it because its harmful to the health of the girls who undergo. Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) are the same women who does the FGM in the villages, therefore QDF is using these women to campaign against the act and also discuss with them about possible alternative rite of passages that can be used instead of FGM. 90% of the girls in pastoralist communities undergo FGM especially those uneducated that live in the villages, however QDF has decided to bridge the gap by reaching the unreached in the communities and empower them. The alternative way QDF is using to end/minimize early marriages is by advocating for the education of the girls even those that are in the remote villages.