Kadaga to men: Do not marry circumcised women
Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga being decorated by a Karimojong
woman during celebrations to mark the Tepeth Cultural Day in Moroto
District on Monday. Ms Kadaga advised men to shun women who have gone
through Female Genital Mutilation, describing them as burdening women
who will not help transform the society Photo by Steven Ariong
By Steven Ariong
Posted Wednesday, December 3 2014 at 02:00
Posted Wednesday, December 3 2014 at 02:00
In Summary
The Speaker said such women are not ‘valuable’ in society.
Moroto. The Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadaga, has advised men to shun marrying women who went through Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), describing them as ‘burdening women’ who will not help transform the society.
Moroto. The Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadaga, has advised men to shun marrying women who went through Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), describing them as ‘burdening women’ who will not help transform the society.
The Speaker made the call on Monday during celebrations to mark the Tepeth Cultural Day, which is against FGM. The ceremony was organised by United Nations Population Fund and other development partners.
“A woman who is circumcised is no longer a valuable woman. Leave those who went through FGM and get normal women who can create a good society,” she said.
The World Health Organisation defines Female Genital Mutilation as “the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia for cultural and other non-therapeutic reasons.”
This practice, also known as “female circumcision, or “female genital cutting,” is deeply rooted in many traditional cultures, and in Africa, it often serves as a rite of passage or as preparation for marriage.
In Uganda, the cultural ritual is mainly practiced in eastern Uganda among three tribes, including the Pokot, Sabiny and Tepeth, mainly in the districts of Kapchorwa, Kween and Bukwo.
Ms Kadaga, who was accompanied by State minister of Gender Rukia Nakadama, both signed a commitment to end FGM in Uganda.
She also warned parents in the region to stop forcing their young girls into marriage and appealed to them to send their children to school.
However, Ms Grace Nachap, one of the former FGM surgeons appealed to government to support the group of surgeons who have denounced the practice.
“Cutting women and girls had been our main source of income, so we need government to help us,” she said.
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Ms Kadaga, your words are a shame, even more because they were spoken by a
fellow woman.How dare you blaming the VICTIMS who have gone through this torture of FGM as little children already????? These little girls had no voice and no protection when their legs were spread forcefully and their genitals were exposed and cut by some stranger in the presence of their own parents!!! How can you tell those victims are not VALUABLE in society?
Blame the cruel parents, blame the criminals who torture these little girls with rusty and infected razor blades, blame the traditional leaders and healers and witch doctors, blame the local chair persons, blame the police who keep their eyes closed as long as possible, blame even the neighbors who accept and keep quiet when realizing torture in the neighborhood. BUT LEAVE THE VICTIMS ALONE, they need our support and comfort and consolation and understanding in order to find a normal life after being abused in a very cruel and stupid way by their own families!!!
When will Uganda finally send those parents and the self declared 'traditional doctors' to prison for several years without mercy? To me, any circumcised woman is even more valuable for Uganda's development, than YOU are, because every victim can finally start fighting back and condemn those cruel and inhuman practices.
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“A woman who is circumcised is no longer a valuable woman. Leave those who
went through FGM and get normal women who can create a good society,” she said.
Hon. Speaker, are you aware that some of these GMed girls/women are forced by
their parents especially fathers or the men you are encouraging to leave them?
Telling men do leave them is discrimination. We expect better ways of
discouraging FGM than promoting discrimination and divorces from a person of
your status.