SUMMER SCHOLARS BLOG: Fadumo Guhad
Nairobi, Kenya, where UNFPA’s Kenya office is based.
Despite COVID-19 bringing the world to a halt, I was fortunate enough this year to serve as a Summer Scholars Fellow with the United Nations Association of New York (UNA-NYC). I had the opportunity to virtually work with the UNFPA Nairobi, Kenya office within their communications and advocacy division. With the guidance of the gender-based violence (GBV) communications team, I was able to support and contribute to the presidential vison of ending female genital mutilation (FGM) by 2022. Currently, UNFPA is supporting the Government of Kenya to achieve this important goal through its 9th Country Programme. I associate a lot of fond memories with Nairobi since I spent the early parts of my childhood in this vibrant city. It is an understatement to say that I was looking forward to reconnecting with my hometown and lending the experiences that shaped me as a Somali refugee to this role. Although I wasn’t able to participate in person, the virtual experience turned out to be enriching and collaborative.
UNFPA has worked for many years to end the practice of FGM, the partial or total removal of external female genital organs for cultural or other non-medical reasons. Through coordinated and systemic efforts, the Kenya office promotes the abandonment of FGM. There is a huge emphasis on engaging whole communities and focusing on human rights and gender equality. The office also addresses the sexual and reproductive health needs of women and girls who suffer from its consequences. Half of Kenya’s population lives in poverty, despite its steady economic growth and rich cultural and biological diversity. As of 2019, it is estimated that 4.1 million girls are at risk of FGM, and because of population growth – close to 3 percent per year – this number is projected to rise to 4.6 million girls by the year 2030 unless efforts to end FGM are expanded. In 2015, FGM was included in the Sustainable Development Goals under Target 5.3, which calls for the elimination of all harmful practices.
My role within the gender-based communications division involved crafting educational and advocacy material related to ending FGM. This involved analyzing technical papers and proposed media-related content to disseminate gender-based educational information. I also drafted a youth-led podcast proposal that emphasized the importance of centering humanity, unearthing complexities and building connections between people by shifting norms through stories. By emphasizing the importance of listening, and of dignity, an oral history can be created that specifically targets gender and social norms that sustain the practice of FGM. Additionally, I wrote and pitched four short scripts for video animations that promoted the abandonment of FGM and related gender-based inequities. Community-led engagement through education has been shown to lead to communities publicly declaring their abandonment of FGM. I am grateful to have found creative and exciting ways to disseminate and bolster this mission to end harmful practices by 2022.
This experience has been remarkable, and has exceeded my expectations for virtual work. The GBV team made me feel welcomed and close to the mission. I am glad to have witnessed and to have been a part of the cumulative work that snowballs into real change on the ground. My deepest gratitude to UNA-NYC for establishing and facilitating his incredible opportunity with UNFPA-Kenya.
Our Summer Scholars Blog showcases our fellows’ experiences with the UN agencies and non-governmental organizations they worked with this summer. Learn more about our Summer Scholars Fellowship program and this year’s other fellows here.