Effects of Female Genital Mutilation on the Girl Child’s Physical Health among Ameru Community of Kenya

Abstract

This study sought to determine the effects of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) on the girl child’s physical health among the Ameru community of Kenya. The study employed the descriptive survey research design on a sample comprising of 408 girls who had undergone FGM, 48 health workers, 3 social workers and 30 Focus Group Discussion members selected by use of snow ball sampling and purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected using questionnaires, interview schedules and Focus Group Discussion schedules. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 17.0. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data whose findings indicated that FGM negatively affected the physical health of the girl child and in some instances resulted in death. Thus, it was recommended that the government and nongovernmental organizations should enhance interventions on physical health effects of FGM in order to alleviate the sufferings of the girl child among the Ameru community. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2014.v3n4p189