Female Genital Mutilation in Kenya

Impacts of Women’s Health Intervention Programs on FGM Prevalence

Abstract

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is practiced in 30 countries, mainly concentrated in the Western, Eastern, and North-Eastern regions of Africa, in some countries the Middle East and Asia, as well as among migrants from these areas (1). FGM is therefore a global health and human rights concern. Although the prevalence of FGM has decreased in the past years, some communities still resist abandoning the practice. Kenya is a distinctive example of a country where the practice of FGM has decreased significantly but interventions have failed to eliminate the practice at a local and national level. The purpose of this case study is to provide an overview of interventions that have been carried out in different communities of Kenya and assess what is necessary for an intervention to be successfully implemented and have a positive impact in communities.