By our Reporter in Longido
Some Maasai families in Longido District, Arusha Region are allegedly using baptism ceremonies as a cover to perform female genital mutilation (FGM) on young children, evading legal action.
Reports indicate that many girls under the age of two have been subjected to this harmful practice in several villages within the district.
At the launch of a project aimed at amplifying voices against FGM and violence towards women and children, officials from the Longido District government and the Media Aid for Indigenous and Pastoralists community (MAIPAC) revealed that perpetrators of FGM had adopted new tactics to continue the practice in secret. The event, which was supported by Cultural Survival, emphasized the need for continued efforts to combat FGM and hold offenders accountable.
Longido District Development Officer, Rashid Hussein, stated that despite government crackdowns, FGM practices were still being carried out covertly during baptism celebrations. "We have identified this strategy, and we have instructed local leaders, from the ward office , to monitor and report any FGM activities during such ceremonies," said Hussein.
He also warned that some village leaders had attempted to resolve FGM cases informally, cautioning that the government would take legal action against any leader who turned a blind eye to the issue.
The Longido District Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Matthew Majani, expressed concern over the health risks associated with FGM. He revealed that some women arrive at hospitals weakened from a lack of proper nutrition during pregnancy, as they are often denied food with the misguided belief that it would make childbirth easier.
This practice, combined with the complications of FGM, has led to obstructed labor and other dangerous complications during delivery.
At the launch of a project aimed at amplifying voices against FGM and violence towards women and children, officials from the Longido District government and the Media Aid for Indigenous and Pastoralists community (MAIPAC) revealed that perpetrators of FGM had adopted new tactics to continue the practice in secret. The event, which was supported by Cultural Survival, emphasized the need for continued efforts to combat FGM and hold offenders accountable.
Longido District Development Officer, Rashid Hussein, stated that despite government crackdowns, FGM practices were still being carried out covertly during baptism celebrations. "We have identified this strategy, and we have instructed local leaders, from the ward office , to monitor and report any FGM activities during such ceremonies," said Hussein.
He also warned that some village leaders had attempted to resolve FGM cases informally, cautioning that the government would take legal action against any leader who turned a blind eye to the issue.
The Longido District Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Matthew Majani, expressed concern over the health risks associated with FGM. He revealed that some women arrive at hospitals weakened from a lack of proper nutrition during pregnancy, as they are often denied food with the misguided belief that it would make childbirth easier.
This practice, combined with the complications of FGM, has led to obstructed labor and other dangerous complications during delivery.
"These women are arriving at our hospitals too weak to give birth safely because they are not being fed properly during pregnancy." He said
This must stop, especially given the government's efforts under President Samia Suluhu to build more health centers and hospitals," said Dr. Majani. He added that FGM has been linked to maternal and infant deaths due to excessive bleeding and the inability to deliver safely.
Mussa Juma, Executive Director of MAIPAC, explained that the new project emerged from an investigative study by journalists in the Longido District. Despite the government's efforts to combat FGM, they found that young girls were still being subjected to the harmful practice.
"We sent journalists to investigate, and the findings motivated us to seek funding to intensify our efforts to raise awareness and fight FGM. We are grateful to Cultural Survival for their support," said Juma.
One of the survivors of FGM, Merikinoi Orkesyanye, shared her experience, revealing that she has given birth to eight children, but during the delivery of her eighth child, she suffered complications due to the effects of FGM. "We are suffering because of FGM. I am grateful to the doctors here who helped me, and I urge other women and community elders to abandon this harmful practice for the sake of our health and our children," she said.
Another speaker, Mary Laizer, shared her story of undergoing FGM but now dedicates herself to ensuring that her children, particularly her daughters, avoid the same fate. "I’ve made sure my daughter escaped FGM, and I will continue to fight to protect girls from this dangerous practice.
FGM has severe consequences, including excessive bleeding, loss of sexual pleasure, and, worst of all, the death of both mothers and children," Laizer stated as she demonstrated the various forms of FGM and the damage they cause. She urged both men and women to unite in the fight against FGM.
The MAIPAC project, in collaboration with other stakeholders such as the Tembo Organization and the Longido District Council, plans to visit various villages to raise awareness about the dangers of FGM. The initiative also includes the formation of anti-FGM committees in each village to combat the practice at the grassroots level.
This must stop, especially given the government's efforts under President Samia Suluhu to build more health centers and hospitals," said Dr. Majani. He added that FGM has been linked to maternal and infant deaths due to excessive bleeding and the inability to deliver safely.
Mussa Juma, Executive Director of MAIPAC, explained that the new project emerged from an investigative study by journalists in the Longido District. Despite the government's efforts to combat FGM, they found that young girls were still being subjected to the harmful practice.
"We sent journalists to investigate, and the findings motivated us to seek funding to intensify our efforts to raise awareness and fight FGM. We are grateful to Cultural Survival for their support," said Juma.
One of the survivors of FGM, Merikinoi Orkesyanye, shared her experience, revealing that she has given birth to eight children, but during the delivery of her eighth child, she suffered complications due to the effects of FGM. "We are suffering because of FGM. I am grateful to the doctors here who helped me, and I urge other women and community elders to abandon this harmful practice for the sake of our health and our children," she said.
Another speaker, Mary Laizer, shared her story of undergoing FGM but now dedicates herself to ensuring that her children, particularly her daughters, avoid the same fate. "I’ve made sure my daughter escaped FGM, and I will continue to fight to protect girls from this dangerous practice.
FGM has severe consequences, including excessive bleeding, loss of sexual pleasure, and, worst of all, the death of both mothers and children," Laizer stated as she demonstrated the various forms of FGM and the damage they cause. She urged both men and women to unite in the fight against FGM.
The MAIPAC project, in collaboration with other stakeholders such as the Tembo Organization and the Longido District Council, plans to visit various villages to raise awareness about the dangers of FGM. The initiative also includes the formation of anti-FGM committees in each village to combat the practice at the grassroots level.
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