By Tobias Marwa,
Zinduka has been at the forefront in implementing programs targeting the empowerment of women and girls through awareness creation on FGM, child marriages, education/sponsorship of vulnerable girls, and other gender-related issues.
About Zinduka
The organization runs rescue centres during school holidays to offer safe shelter to girls who might be at risk of FGM to protect them from being subjected to the practice.
Following the long Easter holidays and anticipated cutting, we conducted a massive Media Campaign on ending FGM and keeping girls safe during the Easter Holidays.
The campaign began on 16th March- 21st April 2022. The project primarily aimed at creating awareness of the health effects of FGM, the law on FGM, positive parenting, the council of elders and FGM, Religion and FGM, and child protection and right among others.
In achieving the above we engaged with:
- Council of elders
- Health experts
- Activists
- Role models
- Religious leaders
- Male champions against FGM and child marriages
- Cutters
- Government officials
They further declared that FGM is illegal and it should stop, anyone found perpetrating it should face the law.
Challenges encountered during the campaign were not limited to:
- Time allocated by the media house
- Light reporting by the participants to the media house
- Limited resources
Despite all the shortcomings, it was Evident that FGM is a violation of human rights and against the law and has no medical benefits and hence should stop.
Next time:
If we were to carry out the activity again we would make the media program 2 hours a day from 1 hour
