Tharaka Nithi County on 11th October 2023 played host to the national commemoration of the International Day of the Girl hosted at the county headquarters in Kathwana.
The event, graced by the Anti FGM Board -Kenya Chairperson Ipato Surum Surum kicked off with a procession from the county government offices, to the county commissioners office through Kathwana Town.
The Chairperson in her speech noted that celebrating the international day of the Girl opens up a wide opportunity for the girls worldwide and raises awareness against the crimes against girls and bridges the gap to gender inequality providing access to education, good health, dignity, recognition, rights and freedoms.
According to her, it was high time the community cherished and respected girls as they form a foundation of the future generation.
"Our girls are the lights of our lives, the hope of our nation, the pinnacle of humanity and they must be treated like that", she said.
Surum called called for all government partners, civil society, philanthropists, individuals, private sector and opinion shapers to invest resources and thoughts in the Girl child.
She further noted that Tharaka Nithi County was picked to host this year's celebrations since it was among the 22 counties with a high prevalence of FGM at 27%
"You may think 27% is low, but it is still high. We want to take it to zero. FGM is one of the most harmful cultural practices that undermine the rights if the girl. The Kenya kwanza government is determined to achieve zero tolerance to FGM", she added.
According to the Kenya Demographic Health Survey of 2022, the prevalence of FGM reduced from 21% in 2014 to 15% in 2022 among women aged 15-49.
The 2023 theme "Invest in Girls:Our Leadership, Our well-being" focuses on partnering with men and boys to transform social and gender norms to end FGM.
Deputy Governor Wilson Nyaga Muisrael, while representing Governor Muthomi Njuki highlighted the essence in collective responsibility to support and empower girls, saying many girls still faced barriers such as discrimination, child marriages, limited access to education and gender based violence.
"Girls are leaders of today and tomorrow, their voices, dreams and actions matter. They hold the key to the most pressing challenges of our time. We must encourage girls to pursue their passions and dreams and advocate for policies that protect them", he said.
The county government, according to the deputy governor has continously advocated for equal opportunities for girls through programs such as sexual education and empowerment programs.
Woman Representative Susan Ngugi noted that a major challenge in the fight against FGM was the refusal to comply with anti FGM regulations by law enforcers and negative political interference within the county.
"No one is following up on these cases. You will hear a politician say I am trying to snatch wives from men but the truth is that FGM is being carried out to prepare these girls for marriage. If we discourage early marriages, we will stop FGM", she said.
The Woman Representative also noted that there was a high number of girls who had dropped out of school and turned to early marriages for lacking sanitary pads.
Ngugi proposed that the Woman Representatives be made incharge of funds allocated for the procurement of sanitary pads.
Chuka Igambang’ombe Constituency Member of Parliament Patrick Munene, emphasized that men and boys play a vital role in this effort to eradicate FGM, saying their involvement is crucial in changing social norms.
Igambang'ombe Ward MCA Njeru Ing'ara challenged the County Government of Tharaka Nithi to fund and support organisations and groups that were playing a key role in the fight against FGM.
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