‘Uncut’ rally attracts thousands
As a football supporter I am used to the noise and energy of stadiums — but no premiership match could compete with the atmosphere or the action in Durame’s local stadium. On Saturday afternoon I joined thousands of local communities from the region of Kembatta, of which Durame is the capital, to celebrate ‘uncut girls’ — young girls who have not gone through the once-prevalent and always harmful tradition of female genital mutilation (FGM).
Most of the women, men and children travelled miles to get there. As they poured into the field, each performed a special, local song or dance — all proudly demonstrating their commitment to ending FGM.
‘WOMANKIND’s partner, KMG, has reduced the rate of FGM in Kembatta from 100% to just 3%’ |
This is now an annual event but, just a few years ago, such a sight would have been totally unthinkable. FGM was a deep-rooted and widespread tradition in this part of Ethiopia, and to be an ‘uncut’ girl would have been unthinkable. Even more remarkable is the fact that WOMANKIND’s partner — KMG — has reduced the rate of FGM from 100% to just 3% (recently verified by UNICEF) in Kembatta.
Since it was founded in 1997 by Dr Bogaletch Gebre , KMG has been working with the communities — getting them to understand how harmful the practice of FGM is. As Bogaletch says, ‘no parent deliberately or intentionally hurts his or her own child’.
‘No parent deliberately or intentionally hurts his or her own child’ |
It was clear from the passion of the
people there that they not only embrace this vision but have taken ownership of it too. The atmosphere of the afternoon was like that of a rally or a demo and, above all, it was completely celebratory.
On the main stage, Bogaletch and others spoke of the district’s achievements — this was interspersed with performances from girls and boys across the region. Later, thousands watched a beauty contest for ‘uncut‘girls. The contest was especially significant as it had always been widely believed that girls who had not undergone FGM were less attractive and unsuitable for marriage. This was then followed by a prize-giving for the KMG ‘uncut’ girls football team who’d won the tournament the day before.
Looking on at the crowds there and the women and girls on stage it was sobering to think that, only 10 years earlier, almost all of these women and girls would have gone through FGM. And more so, these girls and women were now being celebrated by the very communities who would have carried out this harmful tradition.
Women who once did not have the confidence to speak out in their own homes were wearing their special yellow ‘end FGM’ t-shirts and taking to the stage. The ones I spoke to said they wanted to help women in other communities end this harmful tradition. WOMANKIND firmly believes that when women are given the skills and confidence they are a powerful force for change. Kembatta’s uncut girl ceremony provided breathtaking testimony to this.
