Rising incidence of FGM in central Kenya draws anger as several cases cited in Kiambu County
Participants at the engagement expressed concern that FGM, when linked to sects or cultural revivalist groups, often operates covertly, targeting vulnerable girls under the guise of tradition or spiritual rites.
FGM prevalence in Kajiado starkly high at 78 per cent, nearly four times national average in Kenya – report
Speaking during a community outreach forum in Kajiado West, Gitonga said the NGO is working closely with administrators, teachers and religious leaders to promote alternative rites of passage that uphold cultural values without harming girls.
Kenya and Tanzania brace for an upsurge in female genital mutilation in either country
For the first time, authorities reported eight boys and men who underwent circumcision in hospitals were forced to undergo re-circumcision, with two suspects arrested in Kenya, whereas 120 girls were rescued after fleeing circumcision. Two are active in court.
FGM back in Kenya with a bang as married women rush for the cut to become ‘total women’
The teacher lamented that most of the schoolgirls who were forced to undergo the harmful practice were between 10 and 18 years old. She expressed regret that some parents and communities believe child marriage and FGM to be a way of protecting girls from pre-marital sex and secure a safer future for their daughters.
Study: Preservative found in body lotions, shampoos and packaged foods linked to high female infertility across generations
Parabens, a class of chemicals used to prevent bacterial growth in a wide range of consumer products, are endocrine disruptors (EDCs) that can mimic or interfere with hormones. Absorbed through the skin, scientists have detected parabens in blood, urine, hair, breast milk and even the placenta.
Child neglect, teen pregnancy incidence rise among pastoralists in Kenya’s Kajiado County
Neglect accounted for the highest number at 3,753 cases, where children have parents, but are denied basic needs. Abandonment followed with 162 cases of minors left without any guardian or caregiver. Other cases included 552 of custody disputes, 25 of child marriages, 19 of teenage pregnancy, 13 of sexual assault, five of child labour and four of female genital mutilation.
Dumping the spear for the pen: Kenya’s Maasai people embraces school after years resistance
Tabitha Lesaloi, a mother of three, and an employee of Narok County government admitted that education among the Maa community is a challenge since the society gave precedence to traditions and norms.
Senegal’s ‘schools for husbands’ teaching ‘positive masculinity’ but men still wary of male doctors treating their wives
While maternal and infant deaths in Senegal have declined over the past decade, experts say it still has a long way to go. It recorded 237 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births in 2023, while 21 new-borns out of every 1,000 died within their first month. The UN globally wants to reduce maternal deaths to 70 deaths per 100,000 live births and new-born deaths to under 12 per 1,000 by 2030.