Gender CS Hanna Wendot Cheptumo Calls for an End to FGM, Early Marriages, and Urges Youths to Use Digital Platforms Positively
By Shadrack Mutai | Nairobi,
The Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Gender, Culture and Children Services, Hanna Wendot Cheptumo, has called on the Nandi community to completely abandon the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), terming it a violation of the rights and dignity of the girl child.
Speaking during the Taptengelei Cultural Festival 2026, CS Cheptumo emphasized that FGM has no cultural, medical, or religious justification and continues to expose young girls to serious health risks and lifelong trauma.
She also issued a strong warning against early marriages among young girls, noting that the practice denies them access to education and limits their future opportunities, often leading to school dropouts, teenage pregnancies, and poverty.
In addition, the Gender CS challenged the youth to positively and responsibly use digital platforms, urging them to embrace technology for education, innovation, entrepreneurship, and advocacy, rather than for harmful or misleading content.
CS Cheptumo called on parents, elders, cultural leaders, and religious institutions to work together in protecting children, empowering girls, and nurturing responsible digital citizenship among young people.
She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enforcing laws against FGM and child marriage, while promoting alternative rites of passage that preserve culture without harming girls.
The Cabinet Secretary noted that cultural forums such as the Taptengelei Cultural Festival provide a powerful platform for promoting positive values, social change, and youth empowerment.
