Female genital mutilation is the removal of the females’ genitalia for customary reasons. In a lay mans term, it is the removal of the clitoris, inner and outer lips of the vagina, and sewing the two sides of the vulva leaving only a small hole to pass menstruation and urine. This procedure is performed with a razor blade without the help of anesthetics on girls between the ages of four to 12 or birth to 30, it depends on the tradition of a certain culture. If we were to explain this further, we would simply say it’s equivalent to removing both the testis and penis (which is ultimately impossible for a man)
Female Genital Mutilation is practiced all over the world, as of 2013 about 24 African Countries practiced FGM. In Kenya alone 42 tribal communities among the Maasai still practice this illegal act. According to the tradition, this procedure is carried out as a rite of passage of young girls into womanhood, they are immediately married off to older men, in fact if a girl did not undergo this procedure her bride price would automatically be reduced.
The girls clitoris is also cut out so as to avoid any sexual urge and reduce their bad blood or infidelity during marriage. This act is a violation of human right; and statistics shows that it is still practiced insome parts of Africa, it was banned in Kenya in 2011 yet more than 500 girls in Narok conty drop out of school every year because of FGM and early marriage. According to UNICEF, Female genital mutilation affects more than 200 million women worldwide.
There have been so many NGOs that are totally against the FGM, but how do they fight a war that is not fully backed up by the individuals in the government. Most of the girls barely finish school, hence the knowledge about the hazards of this practice is not known to them, which includes, severe bleeding which can lead to death, complications at birth, painful sex, life threatening infections, no sexual urge or satisfaction and a lot more.
These Five Kenyan girls, Stacy Owino, Cynthia Otieno, Purity Achieng, Macrine Atieno & Ivy Akinyi, developed an application that aims to end the practice. This app which is called I-Cut, is supposed to provide assistance to girls at risk of FGM by connecting them to rescue centers. I-Cut also helps get legal and medical help to those who have already been cut, the five buttons on the app offers users different services which includes help, rescue, report, information on FGM, donate and feedback. These five girls deserve more than a thumbs up, due to their brilliant idea they were selected to take part in 2017 Google Technovation which is an event sponsored by google,Verizon and the United Nations for the sole aim of teaching the girls tech skills.
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