By Patricia Osman
As Uganda joins the rest of the world to commemorate the International day of zero tolerance to Female genital mutilation, parents in areas where the act is practiced are strongly warned to keep the girls in schools where they cannot be easily persuaded or influenced into the act.
Hon. Margret Komuhangi, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary committee on Gender, Labor and Social Development says the practice continues Kapchorwa, Bukwo, Nakapiripirit, Amudat among other districts.
FGM is practiced by one per cent (1%) of Uganda’s population. Uganda passed the Prohibition of FGM Act in 2010 however experts say it doesn’t carry stringent measures.
FGM practice involves partial or total removal of the external female genitalia for non-therapeutic reasons.
Globally, it is estimated that at least 200 million girls and women alive today have undergone some form of FGM.