Kenya on Saturday committed to eliminating harmful cultural practices that perpetuate violence against women as the country commemorated Human Rights Day with the rest of the world.
Aisha Jumwa, cabinet secretary of the Ministry of Public Service, Gender and Affirmative Action, said in a statement released in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, that the harmful cultural practices that include female genital mutilation (FGM) mainly affect girls and women, denying them their rights.
“Ending gender violence is indeed a daunting task given the pervasive, endemic nature of this human rights violation, which is deeply rooted in structural gender inequality and discrimination,” she said.
Jumwa said that the government will not allow culture to be used as a guise to perpetuate practices that destroy the lives of many women.
She said the Kenyan government is keen on ending FGM and forced marriages by 2030 through the coordination and implementation of various multi-sectoral programs.
Human Rights Day is observed every year on Dec. 10 as adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948. Enditem
