NAIROBI, 17 December 2008 (IRIN) -
"Local authorities must ensure that these girls are not ostracised by the community and that their education is not disrupted," Andrew Timpson, a senior protection officer for the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Kenya, told IRIN on 16 December.
Timpson made a field visit to Kuria East and Kuria West districts in early December to examine the condition and protection needs of 342 girls who had fled their homes to avoid undergoing female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C).
He said FGM/C was a major problem and that the girls who sought refuge at two churches were a small group. "It is possible that several hundred girls aged 15 to 16 may have been circumcised."
The girls left their homes in late November and sought sanctuary in two Swedish Maranatha Pentacostal mission stations - Gwikonge in Kuria West and Komotobo in Kuria East.
Timpson said the girls were predominantly from Masaba, Mabera and Kehancha divisions.
"The majority of the girls were brought to the missions by their parents who resisted concerted pressure brought by their communities, elders and grandparents to have their daughters circumcised," Timpson said. "However, there were at least 50 girls who were forced out of their homes or who had fled to avoid forced circumcisions."
Although substantial work has been done to sensitise girls and the community at large to the dangers of FGM, Timpson said, more needed to be done to ensure that those who encourage the practice face the law as it is contrary to Section 14 of the Children's Act.
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