NAIROBI – The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki- moon, on Thursday launched a media-led campaign against circumcision of teenage girls in some Kenyan communities.
Ki-Moon said that harmful cultural practices like female cut and early marriages were detrimental to Kenya’s economic and social progress.
“Change can happen through sustained media attention on the damaging public health consequences of female genital mutilation,’’ he told journalists during the launch in Nairobi.
Ki-Moon revealed that the UN would partner Kenyan media outlets to sensitise communities against circumcising their girls.
“Not only do we hope to support the Kenyan media in bringing the issue of female genital mutilation to national and global attention, but we hope to create a media model that can be reproduced in other countries,’’ he said.
The UN chief also announced two initiatives to encourage Kenyan media professionals to raise the visibility of female cut.
“In Kenya, five joint UNFPA-Guardian female cut reporting grants will be awarded to a number of Kenya’s leading media houses to help support their reporting on the issue,’’ he told campaigners and media owners.
He added that a joint UNFPA-Guardian International Female Cut Reporting Award would be granted to an African reporter who had demonstrated unwavering commitment to covering the topic.
He said that the international community would support homegrown interventions to abolish female cut.
UN Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) Executive Director, Babatunde Osotimehin, said that circumcision was violation of girls’ rights.
“A girl child is the most vulnerable demography due to retrogressive practices like circumcision.
“Ending female cut will improve health and social indicators in countries,’’ Osotimehin said.
Report says an estimated 27 per cent of Kenyan girls and women has undergone the cut.
Cabinet Secretary for Devolution Ann Waiguru said that Kenya had passed legislation to end female genital mutilation.
“Kenya is committed to the UN resolution 67/146 on accelerating efforts towards the elimination of female circumcision,’’ Waiguru said. (Xinhua/NAN)