Today, the Naguru Teenage Centre (NTC) successfully facilitated a community dialogue in Kiring Parish, Kaptanya Sub-county, one of the highest Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) hotspots in Kapchorwa and a hard-to-reach area. The dialogue convened local, cultural, and religious leaders to address the persistent challenge of unreported FGM cases and explore actionable solutions to protect girls’ rights.
FGM remains a harmful practice with serious health, social, and psychological consequences for girls and women. In Kaptanya Sub-county, limited reporting and community silence have made it difficult to accurately track cases and implement interventions. The dialogue created a safe space for open conversation, allowing leaders to share insights, highlight challenges, and commit to proactive measures against FGM.
Participants discussed the high prevalence of unreported cases at the sub-county level and recognized the urgent need for systematic monitoring and community engagement. A key outcome of the meeting was the recommendation to establish a parish-level task force. This task force will be responsible for following up on suspected and reported cases, improving data collection, and ensuring timely reporting to sub-county and national authorities. Such structures are essential for strengthening FGM prevention programs, enhancing accountability, and protecting vulnerable girls.
Leaders also reflected on the importance of cultural and religious advocacy in shifting harmful norms. By placing community gatekeepers at the forefront of interventions, the dialogue emphasized that sustainable change requires collaboration, education, and enforcement of protective laws. Cultural and religious leaders play a vital role in influencing attitudes, debunking myths, and promoting alternative rites of passage that do not harm girls.
The meeting underscored the need for data-driven programming. Reliable information on the prevalence and trends of FGM is critical for designing targeted interventions, mobilizing resources, and tracking progress toward national and global commitments to end FGM. Strengthened data flow from parish to sub-county and national levels will enable authorities and partners to implement evidence-based strategies that respond effectively to community realities.
By convening stakeholders in Kiring Parish, NTC has demonstrated that community dialogue is a powerful tool in the fight against FGM. When leaders are engaged, informed, and committed, they become champions for change, creating safer environments for girls and contributing to long-term elimination of this harmful practice.
