Protecting Young Women in Kenya

It's not always easy being a woman or a girl in Kenyan communities. Domestic violence, child abuse, early marriage and circumcision are just some of the injustices females face.

Right in the middle of the country, one diocese wants this to change. Since 2002, the Diocese of Meru has been working with Catholic Relief Services to promote a more just society.

The Meru Gender and Human Rights Advocacy project educates Kenyans through dialogue with all community members—including women, men, teenagers, children, elders and government officials. The discussions raise awareness about common violations such as abuse in homes and provide a forum for exploring ways to affirm the rights of women and children.

The results have been very promising: More women are aware of their landownership rights, more families are choosing an alternative to circumcision for their girls, and more women and girls are escaping violence. Now the diocese is expanding its efforts to raise gender and human rights awareness and offer an additional 1,200 girls an alternative rite of passage.

"This project is transforming people's lives by changing relationships, from courtship to marriage," shares diocesan program coordinator Martin Koome.

Background

In many countries, female circumcision is as common and accepted as male circumcision. Each December in Kenya, girls of marrying age (which averages between 9 and 12 years old) are taken by an older female community member—sometimes by force—to a secluded location to mark the shift from childhood to adulthood.

The older women teach the girls traditional lore and important skills, including how to be a good wife and care for children. During the seclusion, the girls are also circumcised, often under unsanitary conditions. The rite takes different forms based on the cultural practices of a given ethnic group, and often leads to years of pain, which can be exacerbated by infections and childbirth.