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Arts & Communication Documentary to support #EndFGM in Kenya

private doubts about FGM and persuaded them that they professional circumcisers to ensure that they could forgo
could change their own minds even though the views of the income they had made from FGM.
society had not changed. Meanwhile, in Kenya, NGOs such One of the main areas that was identified for further
as Men Against FGM, have reported back to Kaunga that research during the making of both films was the
they have encountered similar anecdotal responses among psychological impact of FGM. Local NGOs reported that they
the Maasai community. Further research, specifically, have been working to provide help groups and professional
participatory ethnographic evaluation research, could advice for women who need psychological support and are
tell us more about how these films have influenced the fully aware of the emotional and psychological impact that
attitudes of their audience and whether it could limit or FGM can have on women throughout their lives.
even end the practice of FGM in Kenya.
The results of the filmmaking project in Kenya have
Among the similarities between the two films was the
use of country-specific images and personalities. In Kenya, shown that further research on the impact of documentary
films supporting #EndFGM campaigns in other countries is
it was easy for audiences to identify with the presenter and likely to have positive results. Moreover, the film is likelier to
the interviewees, which was also promoted by the presence have a strong impact if it is specific to the country. A film to
of familiar locations in the film. Activists spoke of Kaunga be shown in Nigeria, for instance, might highlight the local
as a role model. She was a successful woman within the traditional understanding and beliefs about FGM and would
Maasai community who has achieved respect and value depend on gaining the participation of Nigerian nationals.
without undergoing FGM. This set her apart from the Another country that would make a good case study for
Maasai tradition in which women are traditionally valued further research is Sudan, where a law banning FGM came
by how high their bride price might be. Kaunga thus served
as an example of what more young Maasai women might into effect in July 2020. Legal changes can stimulate national
debates to an extent that would make a documentary film
achieve in the future.
more likely to be pertinent and influential. In Sudan, as in
All these aspects made My FGM Story, Kenya relevant The Gambia, the campaign to end FGM is being led by young
to audiences, who could see the reflection of their own women and, as in the case of Kenya, young men as a joint
lives. The approach of “I (We) speak about us to us” was effort. These young people are those most likely benefit from
essential in this context. It enabled local activists and any future filmmaking project, and from making their own
filmmakers to take control of the documentary form and films to be shown to their families and local communities.
mold it to fit their purposes of communicating with local
audiences. The use of professional filmmaking techniques Acknowledgments
through collaborations gave the film the authentic feeling The author would like to thank Halimatou Ceesay and
of being “well-made” and suitable for broadcast, which Laissa Malih Kaunga for their considerable skill, insight,
lent authority to the film. This also reflected the results of and sheer determination to use documentary filmmaking
My FGM Story (2020) in the Gambia, in which Halimatou to support the #EndFGM campaign. They both represent
Ceesay was a familiar face to Gambian audiences. They the growing number of young people in their respective
recognized her experience as echoing their own and could countries who are determined to help women and girls
identify not only with her but also with the people with lead healthier lives while maintaining the positive aspects
whom she spoke to and the places she visited. She thus of their cultural traditions.
guided the audience through her own journey of discovery,
and they willingly followed her. Funding
The contents and tone of each film differed significantly. 28 Too Many https://www.fgmcri.org provided funding for
While Islam and the influence of local imams were very the making of My FGM Story, Kenya.
important when Gambian people were making up their
minds about FGM, it is not at all relevant in the Maasai Conflict of interest
community. As a result, there was no religious element The author declares no competing interests.
in the Kenyan film. Moreover, Kaunga and the rest of
the team decided that talking about the physical harms Author contributions
of FGM from a health point of view, which was a crucial
element in the Gambian film, would not be “news” to the This is a single-authored article.
Kenyan audiences, who had heard it all before from the Ethics approval and consent to participate
media. Instead, they focused on current issues, such as
petitioning the government for more financial support for Not applicable.

Volume 3 Issue 3 (2025) 7 doi: 10.36922/ac.3725