I am not a lawyer and I know nothing about law. I had a dream though of becoming one, but I slept and dreamt again. I don’t even know whether I am qualified to comment on this but just listen to me and don’t judge me too harshly…
Well, we have always celebrated and made all the noise every time a country declares FGM illegal. Now I am left wondering does it help. Yes to some extent it does, but I feel as though these laws have been failing us to a very big extent. From experience I have come to realize the only sure way to end FGM once and for all is through community dialogues and sensitization aimed at changing the community perception on this retrogressive cultural practice.
The community members have a way of resisting laws they can’t seem to understand why these laws are set up in the first place. They always become rebellious as they see the laws as being imposed on them without being consulted or asked their opinion. On the contrary use of community dialogues allows community members to come up with their own solutions to their own problems in their own context.
This in return makes the solutions sought acceptable to all community members with little or no resistance. Don’t get me wrong I understand the laws are there to regulate, give guidance and reprimand those who go against them. Their efficiency in dealing with cultural issues is however questionable.
I hence call upon all the stakeholders and team #Endfgm in general to sit down and re-think their strategies……..cheers!!!!
