Introducing the Maasai women’s movement

We recently visited our partner organisation, FIDA Kenya, to meet the women transforming their communities and improving the lives of women and girls.

FIDA Kenya is known in Kenya as the organisation that helps women to bring men to justice. But in reality they do a lot more. In cities and towns and grasslands across the country, they spread information and legal aid to women facing violence and discrimination of all kinds. They train women leaders as ambassadors to campaign against Harmful Traditional Practices, including Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and other forms of violence. They also work with the police, chiefs, community elders and medical professionals to raise awareness of the violence faced by women and girls, and the laws that are in place to protect them.

Ending FGM and early marriage

Thanks to support from the UK government and public through the UK Aid Match scheme, Womankind has been working with FIDA Kenya to reduce rates of FGM and early and forced marriage amongst young girls. The project is focused on Kajiado and Trans Nzoia – two counties where rates of FGM are very high.

Over the last year, FIDA Kenya has broadcast messages to 1.4 million people on speaking out and taking action against FGM and early and forced marriage. They have also provided legal aid, family mediation and counselling to 5,445 women. To support women seeking justice against their abusers, they have also recruited and trained 66 pro bono lawyers to provide legal aid and guidance where needed.

Putting women first

In a society where too often women are seen as the property of their husbands, FIDA Kenya puts women first. Through this project, girls and their families are standing against FGM and traditional ‘cutters’ are stopping the practice.

Alice Maranga, Programme Officer for FIDA Kenya, told us: “The project has had a great impact… At least now people know about their rights and girls demand to go to school. Even the ones who have been cut. By the end of this project, I’m hopeful that it will be sustainable even without FIDA Kenya or Womankind Worldwide because of the strategy we’ve taken in targeting the whole community.”

Maasai women driving a movement of change

FIDA Kenya’s campaign is growing, with more and more Maasai women taking part in training to become ambassadors for the rights of women and girls. The women’s movement here is stronger than ever and the women speak of the pride and strength the campaign has given them.

Nasarem, who underwent FGM as a teenager, is now 65 and part of the movement: “When I was young, girls had no option but to be cut and miss education, but now they have a choice. I first came across FIDA’s work when I met someone campaigning against FGM and I really connected with it – I saw the benefit for girls not getting FGM and I wanted my daughter to get the education I couldn’t get for myself. So I joined the campaign.

“I talk to the women who are still cutting the girls, even though it has been outlawed – I use my family as an example of how traditions can change – my daughter is not circumcised and she can have a different future to me.

Girls have freedom and positive futures

As more and more women join the movement, harmful practices including FGM are decreasing and more girls are finishing their education.

“I can see the impact our campaign with FIDA Kenya is having,” Nasarem told us. “Our community is a much better place. Girls aren’t being circumcised, they are getting are educated, they are getting jobs, they have more freedom.

“I am very proud I am campaigning with FIDA Kenya, especially as an older woman as many women like me like to stay with the past traditions. I am an ambassador and I’m helping to bring positive change in my community.”

Thank you to the UK government’s Department for International Development and the UK public for funding this project through the UK Aid Match scheme.