The Crisis in Tanzania:

Where Girls Need Our Help Most

While FGM affects a percentage of women nationally in Tanzania, the practice is concentrated in specific regions where rates remain high, particularly in the Mara Region where Hope for Girls and Women operates.

Focus on Mara Region: Where Hope Operates

According to the United Nations, in the Mara region of Tanzania, 32% of women aged between 15 and 49 report having undergone FGM.

Gender based violence continues to be a serious problem in the Mara Region of Tanzania. This region has the highest rate of spousal violence in the country, affecting 78% of married women. Over 50% of adult women were married by age 18 and 32% have undergone FGM, while only 21% have ever attended secondary education. Governmental services to help these girls and women are limited.

Seasonal Patterns: December "Cutting Season"

December school holidays represent the highest risk period when families traditionally perform FGM on their daughters. During these periods, girls often flee their homes or are rescued by authorities working with Hope for Girls and Women.

FGM cases particularly occur during the school holidays, otherwise known as "cutting seasons." Hope teams expect to rescue hundreds of girls during December based on their intelligence from educators, community programs, and local activists.

Why FGM Continues Despite Being Illegal

Limited Law Enforcement

• Remote villages are far from police stations

• Few prosecutions despite 1998 ban

• Traditional leaders may not cooperate with authorities
  
  

Cultural Beliefs

• Belief that it's necessary for cultural identity

• Pressure to maintain ancestral customs

• Connection to marriage prospects
  
  

Economic Factors

• Higher bride prices for cut girls in some communities

• Traditional cutters earn income from procedures

• Families may depend on marriage payments
  
  

Mapping Challenges

Since these FGM cases occur in unmapped regions of Tanzania, local officials are forced to drive through unmarked roads during the middle of the night to retrieve girls. This is why Hope has been working on mapping remote areas to improve emergency response.