Protecting girls from FGM | World Vision UK

*Name changed to protect identity

Understanding their rights as girls

Millions of girls around the world face challenges such as early marriage and female genital mutilation, simply because of their gender. Threats like drought and hunger force many girls into child marriage. Others undergo female genital mutilation (FGM) by the belief that the practice will make a girl more suitable for marriage and perform her role as a female member of the family and community.

This painful procedure can cause life-long consequences such as chronic pain, bleeding, problems in childbirth, not to mention the psychological trauma suffered. Together we can stand with girls living in some of the world's hardest places and support their rights.

Miriam’s story

Miriam* remembers only too well the traumatic experience she went through when she was a young teenager.

One morning when she was just 14, she huddled in a hut near the village in Kenya where she lived, along with five other girls. Then, out of nowhere, an elderly woman entered the room and broke the news that they were going to undergo female genital mutilation (FGM).

“This came as a shock to me. I was a grade five pupil, committed to my studies and hoping to have a bright future. As the woman sharpened her cutting tool, I was immobilised by fear. All the hopes I had for the future came crushing down and I really felt betrayed by my parents,” Miriam recalls.

*Name changed to protect identity

Three teenage girls playing happily outside — Children in the area Miriam lives are vulnerable to harmful practices such as FGM and child marriage.

“One by one, the elderly lady took turns in circumcising the girls. There were a lot of wails, tears and blood…I was the last one and almost passed out. However, there was no escape route for me,” she says.

Miriam was later forced to leave school and marry an elderly man who had paid dowry to her father. A year later, she fell pregnant and almost died during the delivery process as a result of the mistreatment she suffered during her pregnancy.

A young girl stood under a tree where a sign hangs saying "Protect children from harmful cultural practices. — Girls subjected to FGM to through immense suffering and psychological trauma.

"This man had no respect for me. He used to beat and mistreat me. Sometimes I would sleep hungry," recalls Miriam.

Having tried to escape once, only to be brought back to her matrimonial home by her father, Miriam was resigned to her fate…until a year later, when she could bear it no more.

This time, Miriam received the support of her mum, who had since been informed about the work that World Vision was doing in child protection. This led to Miriam being rescued. Leaving her baby with her mother, she resided in a safe house built by World Vision at one of the schools in the area where she’s from. This gave her a second chance to pursue her education and achieve her dreams.

A devastating tradition

Sadly, many girls like Miriam from marginalised communities in Kenya, have been subject to harmful practices such as FGM and child marriage which infringe on children’s rights and prevent them from reaching their true potential.

Not only do they lose out on their education, many suffer adverse health effects and painful complications during childbirth, some even losing their lives.

“Once you circumcise girls in their early teens, they get married and bear children,” says Edinah, a nursing officer in a local health centre. “You basically have a child carrying another child. This endangers the life of both the girl and the unborn baby.”

A future full of hope

Miriam now has hope for a better future, free from fear of such practices. World Vision has been building safe houses within schools to enable rescued girls like Miriam to continue learning in a protected environment that shelters them from harm. Here, they learn about the positive cultural values of their community without undergoing FGM, and are empowered with life skills that enable them to effectively tackle life challenges.

Four teenage girls playing happily outside — Girls playing in one of the schools where World Vision, in partnership with the government, has set up safe houses to rescue girls from FGM and child marriage.

Boys are also included in training to help demystify the belief that suitable wives have to be circumcised. Here they learn the harm of FGM and realise that no girl should be subjected to it.

Parents are also learning about the rights of children, enabling them to understand why they should not subject their daughters to such harmful practices. They also learn of the significance of providing a loving and safe environment that enables children to thrive and lead happy lives.

Thanks to your support, girls like Miriam, living in some of the world’s dangerous places, won’t have to endure the traumatic experience of undergoing FGM. Thank you for standing with us to protect the rights of women and girls and for supporting those who are suffering as a result of the harmful practice, showing them that you care.

Together we will help girls survive, recover and build a future.