Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) has organised awareness forums in the Western region to sensitise men and boys on how to fight the triple threat in the communities ahead of the August traditional circumcision ceremonies.
Triple threats include HIV-Aids, Sexual Gender Base Violence (SGBV) and teen pregnancies.
The ceremony takes among the Tachoni, Bukusu and Batura communities and it is perceived as a major contributor to teenage pregnancy pregnancies, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and HIV/AIDS.
According to the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) report, Bungoma was ranked number one, representing 62 per cent of the GBV cases registered.
According to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022 report, Bungoma County takes the lead in GBV cases at 62 per cent and also leads in teenage pregnancy.
The KDHS report 2022 further shows that 34 per cent of women in Kenya have experienced physical violence since age fifteen compared to 27 per cent of men.
The sensitisation forums come after an outcry from relevant authorities that teenage pregnancy numbers have gone up both in Bungoma and Kakamega counties.
Speaking in Bungoma on Monday during a boys and men’s conference, Martin Okhako, Western region Forum for African Women Educationalist secretariat, stated that they organised a men and boys sensitisation forum in the region to help in fighting the triple threat in the communities.
“We have been worried with the huge numbers of teenage pregnancies being recorded from this region and that is why we decided to have such forums with men and boys so that we can engage them to understand the effects of the triple threat on the girl child,” he said.
He added that currently, FAWE is running projects in 20 counties that seek to shield the girl child from triple threat, stating that there are communities who are still embracing retrogressive cultural practices such as FGM.
He notes that the reason why the organisation involves men and boys in the fight against the triple threat is because they are great contributors to teenage pregnancies. Okhako also stated that they are involving all stakeholders in addressing teenage pregnancy cases in the region.
Nyongesa Watulo, Chairman Parents Association Western region, lauded FAWE for coming out boldly and organising sensitisation forums to help address issues of teenage pregnancies that left many young girls unaware.
He confirms that August circumcision ceremonies largely contribute to the triple threat.
“Once a teen gets pregnant she faces stigma in society and that is the reason I call upon all stakeholders to join hands and fight the triple threat,” Watulo said.
He also criticized those settling teen pregnancy cases in Kangaroo courts saying that the move has always interfered with the dispensation of justice and the disappearance of perpetrators.
“The issue of settling cases in Kangaroo courts is the one encouraging other men with bad intension to take advantage and defile, rape and impregnate school-going children,” Watulo said.
He also said that there are high numbers of incest cases within the families.
On her part, Laura Doresi, FAWE County coordinator revealed that in partnership with MasterCard Foundation, FAWE is implementing a project in the Western region dubbed Imarisha Msichana aimed at reducing teenage pregnancy and supporting teen mums return to school.