Alternative Mitigation Measures and Performance of Alternative Rites of Passage in Kenya: a Case of Communities in Samburu County

Abstract

Determining the impact of different mitigation strategies on the execution of alternative rites of passage within the Samburu Community was the primary goal of this study. The research was conducted with the following objectives in mind: to find out how counseling programs affect girls in the Samburu community when they perform alternative rites of passage; to ascertain how much girl-child educational training projects affect girls in the Samburu community when they perform alternative rites of passage; and to find out how project ownership by the community affects girls in the Samburu community when they perform alternative rites of passage. The researcher employed three theories to address the study. These theories include Planned Behavior Theory, Liberal Feminism Theory, and Human Rights Theory. The study employed a survey research design that ascertained the prevailing conditions of facts in a sample in this research. This research was conducted in Samburu East Sub-County, which has a high prevalence of FGM. The Samburu community's Maa-speaking members made up the target population. A purposive sampling method was employed to choose 200 respondents for the sample. To examine the data, the researcher used descriptive statistics like mean, frequency, and percentage. Regression and correlation statistics, among other inferential statistics, were used to show the data. The researcher utilized SPSS to obtain statistical outcomes. From the results of the study, the results indicated that counselling programs, project ownership by the community and girl-child educational programmes influences positively on the performance of alternative rites of passage within the Samburu community. The study recommended that Counselling programs be upgraded to be accessible at the local levels preferable at the village level to cover as many girls and women as possible. Therefore, the village managers should organize these programs. In addition, the girl child should be empowered through education as a way of eradicating FGM. The government can lower the qualification grades to the girl child as well as providing the necessary essentials such as the sanitary pads for free to enable them access education without any challenge. Finally, regular meetings should be held preferably once a year to assess the positive steps made in adopting the alternative rites of passage. This includes accessing the level of girl-child education.