We can do better to support the girl-child to grow
Emma Kanana Mugaa
Women and girls across the world have been vocal about their issues for decade now. We have had activists and feminists campaigning for and against several factors surrounding women and issues that affect them. Outspoken women have been castigated and accused of toxicity and female supremacy for advocating for women’s rights on grounds of equality of gender. On social media, these efforts have been countered by claims that the girl- child empowerment is at the expense of the boy-child.
Such reactions may be construed to mean a lot has been done for women and girl emancipation, yet there is so much. As can be attested, Kenya witnessed massive increase in teenage pregnancies since Covid-19 as and schools closed down. Others faulted parenting and idling. However, there were and still are many factors surrounding the teenage. In Quarter 4, 2020, I advocated for a campaign against teen pregnancies in Kajiado County with the support of Nakuhitaji Organization in partnership with the office of the county woman representative. We gathered facts and statistics. We visited two informal settlements in Kajiado County, Kware and Bangladesh within Rongai.
Many girls shared challenges they face, some related to or worsened by the pandemic. It may sound absurd, but girls out here have established sexual relationships in exchange of basic necessities like sanitary towels. We are living in a society where girls hide menstrual issues in a society that has normalised shaming. I mean, what is so wrong with a simple natural biological process? Recently, news of a student who committed suicide over claims of ridicule from a teacher broke the internet and social media. Sad. To cover this shame, the government and other organisations have set aside funds to avail sanitary towels to girls in school. Are they not sufficient or someone is sleeping on the job?
There were instances of girls who fell pregnant out of defilement, but for some reasons the cases never reached authorities. A 12-year-old girl in Bangladesh slums of Ongata Rongai testified that her mother received money from a guy who had molested her sexually, to remain silent. It was further ascertained that some girls and women are living with molesters and perpetrators of domestic violence in their homes.
The girl child rights or gender question is not a war; it is about equality. Women and girl have a chance and potential to contribute to the well-being of the society, just like men. This can be made possible through ensuring existing legal frameworks and other forms of interventions are implemented. In addition, there is need to progressively address societal structural barriers and norms which disadvantage the girlchild. The bottom line, there is so much we can do to ensure the girl child also contributes to the development of the society.
