Valentina A. Mmaka

I know a man who used to brood all night

He lived in constant fright

I heard his cries; gifted but a broken man

His life—a constant fight!

Every morning he rose to a barrage of crises

INTRODUCTION

Last year the UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) and The Guardian newspaper launched the Efua Dorkenoo Pan African Award for Journalists reporting on FGM across the African continent.

In this interview, Kenyan activist John Wafula holds the view that: “FGM is not a culturally enriching choice but rather a tool to isolate women and girls for disempowerment, domination and stagnation.

INTRODUCTION

Kenya outlawed Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in 2011. Despite this, 21% of Kenyan women are circumcised today. The Demographic Health Survey of Kenya found that FGM among 15-49 year old women declined from 37% in 1998 to 27% in 2009, which shows how slowly this culture is changing.

we have lost
147+ 1 lives
147+1 names
not just bodies
147+1 visions
not just numbers
147+1 futures
not just citizens
147+1 is the number of your burden today
kenya