Gender Cabinet Secretary nominee Stella Soi Lang'at has pointed out that there is a need to address poverty in communities to curb cases of early marriages and Female Genital Mutilation.
She stated that most of the communities she interacted with during her time in field administration, and which practice FGM, have a high poverty index.
"Most of the communities where FGM and early marriages are rampant are communities where the poverty index is very high and girls are considered as an investment," she said.
"So, to address the challenges of FGM and early marriages we need to address poverty in our communities by empowering men and women and more the men."
She spoke on Sunday when she appeared before the National Assembly Committee on Appointments during her vetting.
Lang'at said for a successful girl to progress and grow to be a person who can be depended on by the community, it takes a man.
"I am a daughter of a mechanic, and I can assure you that without the support of a male figure in a family, women cannot do much in terms of empowerment and protection of girls," she said.
The nominee noted that there is also a need to facilitate girls to ensure that they get an education, by ensuring that each community has a school they can attend.
There is also the issue of providing girls with essential requirements like sanitary towels, Lang'at said.
This is to ensure that they can transition to puberty with ease.
Lang'at added that there was a need to look into the women who perpetuate FGM and give them alternative means of income.
She also spoke on creating awareness in the communities where FGM is rampant.
