Effectiveness Of National Administrators In Curbing Female Genital Mutilation In Kajiado County, Kenya From 2011-2019

ABSTRACT

In spite of the laws that have been enacted specifically to curb FGM practices and national administrators deployed and authorized to ensure that FGM is curbed. Kenya is still ranked amongst the top countries with high pre valence rates of FGM practices. Kajiado county ranks third in Kenya with the highest prevalence rates on FGM practices, one is left to wonder why the continued practice and whether the administrators embrace the law and enforce the punishment stipulated. To answer this, this research aimed to examine the effectiveness of national administrators in curbing female genital mutilation in the county of Kajiado, Kenya. Guided by the following objectives the study sought; to establish the extent to which national administrators have been able to protect women and girls from female genital mutilation in Kajiado County; to find out the extent to which national administrators have been able to provide support services to victims of FGM in Kajiado County; to investigate the effectiveness of national administrators’ public education and sensitization on the dangers and adverse effects of FGM help curb FGM in Kajiado County; to suggest ways in which national administrators can effectively help curb FGM in Kajiado County. This study was based on the structural functional theory. The structural-functional approach sees society as a system with various parts working together to enhance stability and solidarity. Social structures, which are somewhat steady patterns of social conduct, guide our lives as explained by this theory. Through religious organizations, families and communities these Social structures give form to our lives. Descriptive survey research design was adopted by the study. The target population for the study was male and female village elders, national government administrators in the sub county, girls in rescue centers and women groups in Loitoktok Sub County. Data collection was done using key informant interviews, questionnaires and Focus Group Discussions. Presentation was done using Graphical methods outlining the quantitative data which comprises of charts, percentages and tables. Although the community notices the work done by administrators to curb FGM through enforcement more needs to be done in terms of equipping them to provide support services, facilitating them more so as to provide public education and integrating them more on existing national frameworks to make them more effective.