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Health & Human Rights Promoters Trainings
Nyamira County, Kenya
The Health & Human Rights Promoters Trainings marked a strategic step toward strengthening grassroots capacity to prevent and respond to female genital mutilation (FGM), gender-based violence (GBV), and other harmful cultural practices in Nyamira County — building informed, community-based champions who promote health, dignity, equality, and human rights.
Areas Covered
Nyamarimba, Chepilat, Kenyerere, Magwagwa, Kitaru, Riakebaso, and surrounding areas — bringing together women, men, community leaders, and other key influencers in structured learning and dialogue sessions.
Deepening Understanding of FGM and GBV
Participants were taken through comprehensive sessions that unpacked FGM as both a human rights violation and a form of gender-based violence with severe sexual and reproductive health consequences. Discussions explored the short- and long-term medical effects, including complications during childbirth, psychological trauma, and increased vulnerability to further abuse. Legal frameworks protecting women and girls were highlighted, alongside available reporting and referral mechanisms.
Women’s sessions intentionally created safe spaces for open reflection and peer learning. Participants shared lived experiences, confronted deeply rooted myths, and examined the social pressures that perpetuate harmful practices.
Many women reported increased confidence to speak out against FGM, protect girls at risk, and seek support when faced with abuse — a direct result of the safe, peer-led learning environment created during the sessions.
Engaging Men as Change Agents
Recognizing that sustainable change requires the active involvement of men, targeted male engagement sessions were conducted alongside the women’s forums. These sessions provided a platform for men to openly discuss masculinity, power dynamics, communication within relationships, and their role in protecting women and girls.
Participants acknowledged knowledge gaps and committed to supporting their partners, discouraging harmful practices, and becoming advocates for the abandonment of FGM within their communities.
Strengthening Community Ownership
Community dialogues reinforced the importance of rights awareness, gender equality, and collective responsibility. Leaders and religious representatives expressed strong endorsement of continued awareness efforts and the need to extend outreach to youth, parents, and schools.
Building Sustainable, Rights-Based Communities
The trainings significantly enhanced community capacity to challenge harmful norms and promote safer, more equitable families. Through this initiative, HFAW continues to advance its mission of fostering inclusive, rights-based communities where women and girls live free from violence and harmful cultural practices.
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