HeRWAI tool supports UN-lobby against female genital mutilation in Kenya

In order to stop female genital mutilation (FGM) in Kenya, nine local organisations met from 14 to 16 October to provide input for a joint lobby at the United Nations level. They used the HeRWAI manual for their analysis. Marije Nederveen of Aim for human rights coordinated the workshop in Nairobi in cooperation with FIDA Kenya Women’s Lawyers Association. FIDA Kenya is one of the key NGOs in the field of women’s rights in Kenya and has contributed to the development of HeRWAI already in 2006.

FGM causes huge complications for a girl's health, reproduction and sexual life. It is a human rights violation. In Keniya one in every three women between 15 and 42 years of age has fallen victim to the practice.

Non-governmental organisations are trying to make the Kenyan government take effective measures to stop FGM. They are asking attention for the problem within Kenya, but also at UN level.

Compliance to human rights are periodically monitored by UN treaty committees (which monitor specific treaties) and by the Universal Periodic Review (which monitors compliance to all human rights). NGOs can provide examples of human rights violations, upon which the UN mechanisms can decide to request that a country takes action.

From 14 to 16 October nine Kenyan NGOs gathered to prepare their lobby at the UN. They used the manual HeRWAI (Health Rights of Women Assessment Instrument), which has been developed as an advocacy tool by Aim for human rights. HeRWAI helped to combine the knowledge and experience from the organisations into one analysis of FGM in Kenya. The outcome was a set of concrete recommendations to the treaty committee on women's rights (CEDAW) and the Universal Periodic Review.

The meeting doubled as a test of the short version of HeRWAI. Generally, a HeRWAI analysis takes much more time than three days. By bringing organisations together and combining their knowledge and experience, the short version can save a lot of time. It is expected that in the future HeRWAI will be used more often to generate input for lobbying at UN mechanisms.

More information the thematic page on HeRWAI

More information on FIDA Kenya Women's Lawyers Association

For more information on the short version of HeRWAI, please contact Marije Nederveen, tel: +31 (0)30 233 40 27 or e-mail.