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By Milly Sabwami
West Pokot, Kenya: In the dusty hills of West Pokot County, where the scorching sun meets the rugged terrain of Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands, a quiet revolution is unfolding.
For generations, girls here were expected to undergo Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), leave school early, and enter marriage before reaching adulthood. It was tradition. It was culture.
But today, the same culture is being used to fight back.
At the center of this movement is Seline Kipkerker, a grassroots activist known in the community as “Mama Culture.” Draped in brightly colored traditional beads and carrying handmade clay pots, Kipkerker travels from one homestead to another with a message that is slowly transforming minds: culture can protect girls instead of harming them.
“We must keep the good culture and abandon the practices that destroy the future of our daughters,” she tells elders gathered under a Balanites aegyptiaca tree during a community dialogue.
A County Facing Myriad Crises
The struggle for girls in West Pokot is shaped by a combination of poverty, climate shocks, and insecurity.
According to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022, released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, West Pokot ranks second in Kenya in teenage pregnancy at approximately 36 percent. This means more than one in every three girls aged 15–19 has already been pregnant.
The same survey shows that FGM prevalence in the county remains above 40 percent, far higher than the national average of about 15 percent. Nationally, counties with the highest teenage pregnancy rates include Samburu (about 50%), West Pokot (about 36%), Marsabit (about 29%), and Narok (about 28%). FGM is also highly prevalent in regions like the Somali community (98%).
It is crucial to note that FGM is against the law in Kenya under the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act, 2011, which safeguards individuals from the violation of their mental and physical integrity through the practice. These counties are largely located in marginalized pastoral regions where climate change and economic hardship often push families to marry off their daughters early.
Culture as a Tool for Change
For years, anti-FGM campaigns in the region struggled because they were often perceived as attacks on tradition. Kipkerker chose a different approach.
Using cultural symbols familiar to the community—traditional beads, attire, and pottery—she begins conversations about the value of girls’ education. The beads she sells have become more than ornaments; they are conversation starters.
“People listen because I speak their language and I respect their culture,” she says.
Through local radio programs broadcast in indigenous languages, Kipkerker reaches remote villages where many families still rely on pastoralism for survival. Her message is simple but powerful: a girl’s education is worth more than an early marriage.
Building a Grassroots Alliance
Kipkerker is not alone.
Gender Officer Emmanuel Oigo has been leading awareness campaigns across the county, emphasizing that early marriage and teenage pregnancy are forms of gender-based violence. “When a girl is forced into marriage or pregnancy while she should be in school, her rights are violated,” he says.
The Department of Children Services, represented locally by Philip Wapopa, has also intensified community engagement through barazas—public meetings where community members discuss local issues. These forums are particularly important in patriarchal communities where men traditionally make family decisions. “If men understand the consequences of FGM and early marriage, change happens faster,” Wapopa explains.
Legal educator Philip Lomongin complements these efforts by explaining children’s rights and legal protections, helping communities understand that FGM is not only harmful but also illegal. He attests to the importance of the Bill of Rights, specifically Article 53(1)(d): “Every child has the right to be protected from abuse, neglect, harmful cultural practices, all forms of violence, inhuman treatment and punishment, and hazardous or exploitative labor.”
When the Practice Goes Underground
Despite progress, the fight is far from over. Authorities say some parents have started performing FGM secretly to avoid prosecution. In some cases, girls who escape circumcision as teenagers are cut during childbirth, a hidden practice that makes detection difficult.
Yet community networks are tightening their watch. Local chiefs, women leaders, and youth groups are increasingly reporting suspected cases.
NGOs Strengthening the Movement
International and local organizations have also joined the fight. Groups such as World Vision and the Centre for Enhancing Democracy and Good Governance (CEDGE) support community programs that include:
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Alternative rites of passage for girls
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Education sponsorship
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Safe spaces for adolescents
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Community awareness campaigns
These initiatives address not only harmful traditions but also the economic pressures that often drive them.
Signs of Hope
Local leaders say there are encouraging signs. Community awareness has increased, and more parents are choosing to keep their daughters in school.
The County Government of West Pokot, led by Governor Simon Kachapin, has pledged to strengthen protection programs for girls and expand education opportunities to empower women and girls in the county.
The struggle in West Pokot reflects a broader global challenge. According to UNICEF, more than 200 million girls and women worldwide have undergone FGM. Meanwhile, the United Nations Population Fund estimates that around 12 million girls are married before the age of 18 every year.
Ending these practices is central to achieving the goals of Kenya Vision 2030 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, both of which emphasize gender equality and education.
