A group of school girls begging the Tanzania government to intervene against FGM,
About 5,000 girls aged between 10 and 16 were rounded up for mutilation in Mara region alone from mid-last month, according to statistics provided by regional authorities, but a campaign spearheaded by the government failed to net the culprits. Female genital mutilation,is a crime in this country.
Ms Ummy Mwalimu, the deputy minister for Community Development, Gender and Children, says the government’s efforts did not bear fruit because of the complex nature of the rite, which is deeply rooted in culture and traditional beliefs.
Cracking down on the perpetrators was made even more difficult by a conspiracy between heads of clans and village leaders, who are paid for looking the other way as the traditionalists round up girls for the mutilation.
In an interview with The Citizen this week, Ms Mwalimu said the only weapon at the disposal of the government was public education. She added: “We cannot end this problem only by the force of the law. Our greatest hope is to create awareness. We have been trying to engage traditional leaders who are said to encourage the practice.” The crackdown on female genital mutilation in Mara region during the season that started on December 15 last year did not materialise despite the "public pronouncements and promises of government officials", ( PEOPLE I KEEP TELLING YOU DO NOT BUY PROPAGANDA OF ORGANISATIONS CLAIMING VILLAGES DENOUNCING FGM IN AFRICA !!! FGM CONTINUES AND THE NGOs CONTINUE GETTING RECOGNIZED FOR NOTHING!!).Only two arrest were made if only in one village this genital genocide happened in two weeks how about the whole country? The government have resulted in asking the girls to escape on their own and when they do
they will receive rewards when they do so. In the meantime, the number of camps that house those who escape will be boosted. Girls who escape could also be cited for “Hero-Girls Awards”, according to Ms Mwalimu.
Mara region currently has only one refuge--Masanga camp--which houses 314 girls who fled to safety last month. The rescue campaign will also include setting up gender desks in police stations in four wards in Tarime district, chiefly to provide information and support victims and would-be targets. The desks are to be set up away from district police offices and closer to the people.
FGM is now performed at night and in secret and more dangerous now as mutilators can't see well as they butcher causing more death and snitches are killed too!! I say Tanzania government arrest all mutilators charge them with 1st degree murders and with intent to kill enough with smooth talks and fake public denouncements and to African governments kick out all foreign Organisations who are lying about public denouncement and fake promises by mutilators are working!! because they get to get recognized for 0 work and funded while our women and girls suffer and die because FGM still continue and more riskier than ever!! And Western countries stop buying the propagandas that public denouncement / promise by my people works ooh my people can dance for free meals and handouts anytime and your !!! I am so pissed and pissed because just in december hundred of thousands were mutilated in Africa and this was not reported !! Ambassador Lucy Mashua .
Ambassador Lucy S. Mashua, President of Mashua Voice for the Voiceless, International Assisting and advocating for U.S. refugees and women’s rights Global Ambassador for Ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Leading in lobbying for HR 2221: The Girl's Protection Act sponsored by Rep. Joseph Crowley and Rep. Mary Bono Mack. http://twitter.com/Mashua http://mashuavoiceforthevoiceless.blogspot.com/ http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mashua-Against-FGM/225406701415
