KAMPALA- Lowering the numbers of women and girls subjected to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM] requires further education among communities that practice the procedure.
This according to the Executive Director of Reproductive Education and Community Health Ms Beatrice Chelangat should involve the approach of visiting homes in one-to-one settings, preaching against it in schools and churches.
REACH is an NGO that is involved in the fight against FGM in Kaphorwa, Kween, Bukwo and Amudat.
REACH has taken the campaign to eradicate FGM (FGM) to the communities by raising awareness and building consciousness amongst the people.
“We cannot just make a public pronouncement that FGM is no more, we can’t coarse people using the law to denounce FGM, this tradition has spent several thousand years and the people who practice it must know exactly how it is harmful to them,” Ms Chelangat said.
“No traditional Sabiny would believe that the procedure is horrible but after sensitization and watching videos on FGM, the decision to denounce FGM becomes a personal one, “She added November 20 while speaking to PML Daily.
REACH that has started training workshops against FGM gives participants the opportunity to engage on issues of female sexuality and of gender-based violence.
The Sabiny will hold a Culture Day on November 30 under the auspices of Reproductive, Educative and Community Health.
The Sabiny annually, for more than 15 years, hold a Culture Day where there is exhibition of Sabiny cultural aspects such as food, regalia, medicine, and way of life and this time it will be held in Riwo sub-county in Bukwo district.
The former Woman MP for Bundibugyo and now woman activist Ms. Jane Alisemera Babiiha consents people need to be educated deep in the communities to discard FGM as a bad practice of land that fuels abuse of girl-child.
Mr Paul Machinjach, the LCV chairman Kween district said Sebei sub-region councils should devise plans to end FGM through community sensitization, education and policing in the remote areas. Ends
