A three-year bilateral programme between the government and Finland has boosted efforts to eliminate Female Genital Mutilation in Samburu county.

Dr Josephine Obonyo, the State Department Gender and Affirmative Action secretary, said since the launch of the programme the region has recorded a reduction in FGM cases.

However, Obonyo called for concerted efforts to eradicate FGM practice and end the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) on women. "For the three years we have been working with Finland, we have been able to reduce the cases of gender-based violence and FGM. "Now that the program has faced off, the State Department of Gender and Affirmative Action, in collaboration with the county government, will continue to implement gender-based violence-related activities," she said.

FGM involves the partial or total removal of the female clitoris.