The Impact of Female Genital Mutilation on Girl Child Education in Bukwo District: A Case Study of Suam Sub-County.

Abstract

KAPTITO .K. ROBERT (2014-M092-40003) The Impact of Female Genital Mutilation on Girl Child Education in Bukwo District: A Case Study of Suam Sub-County. The study sought to examine the persistence of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) among the Bukwo. The study was guided by the following specific objectives: to find out the justification for the persistence of FGM among the Sabiny community despite awareness of its dangers on the girl child‟s education, to investigate how FGM has affected the girl child education in Bukwo district, to find out the possible alternatives to FGM as a rite of passage among the Sabiny community, to establish the relationship between female genital mutilation in Suam sub-county and development. The study used questionnaire and focus groups discussions. Purposive sampling technique was utilised to help identify the interviewees and the female pupils. The research findings collected revealed that FGM is still rampant in the rural areas. Significantly, culture was seen as the main factor accounting for FGM in Bukwo while other factors observed included; fear to lose self-identity, social isolation, psychosexual reasons, recognition benefits, appease to the clan spirits, fear of culture eradication, income generating activity, religious reasons, sociological reasons and economic gains. The results revealed that in Suam sub-county, Bukwo district FGM has an impact on girl child performance in education. FGM influences girls dropout rates from schools, there is a significant difference between age of marriage between girls who have undergone FGM and those that have not. It also revealed that there is a relationship between FGM and development in Bukwo district. Based on the study findings the researcher recommended that the government should ensure that parents and the community are sensitised on the importance of girl child education. It also recommended that FGM should be understood by the community as a gender inequality and gender-based violence issue; therefore, elected leaders should lobby for its abolition. The study further suggested that research should be carried out on boys so as compare the findings with those of this study. Key Words: Female Genital Mutilation, Girl Child Education, Bukwo District