Kenya’s High Court Upholds Ban on FGM

On March 17, 2021, Kenya’s high court upheld laws criminalizing Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). This will give a much needed boost to the fight to end the widely condemned practice, a step forward in our efforts to #EndFGM

According to the UN, one in five Kenyan women and girls aged between 15 and 49 have undergone FGM.  In 2011 Kenya passed a law that prohibits Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and imposes tough penalties on perpetrators and those supporting the practice. Despite this, the practice persists as some communities see it is necessary for social acceptance and increasing their daughters' marriage prospects.

The court was addressing a petition filed in 2017 by a public health professional, who argued that the anti-FGM law violated the right of adult women to practise their cultural beliefs.