GIRL CHILD BEADING, A COMMUNITY SACNTIONED CHILD EXPLOTATION AND ABUSE AMONG THE SAMBURU TRIBE OF KENYA A Case Study for Social Norms Training, University of Pennsylvania   By Bridget Job-Johnson, Chief, C4D Specialist, UNICEF Kenya Office

Presentation Outline The issue/challenge Analysis of the problem – a social norm perspective Critical evaluation of intervention so far Proposed change and change mechanism

The Samburus About 300,000 population Marginalised and hard to reach Nomads Gerontocracy Elders marry multiple wives Morans warriors (men 15-30/45 years old) prominent in society – to protect No traditional chiefs decisions were reached by consensus

The Samburu beading culture Beads play a key role in every day life Everyday beads Ceremonial beads Regalia beads Public Leadership Beads Engagement beads - Red beads red, given by an adult none related man or his parent to a girl as a symbol of engagement Or By a moran/his father to an uncircumcised girl as a sign of a moran’s interest in engaging in a sexual relationship with the girl.

Behavioural rule: Wide spread practice of giving of beads to young girls usually between the ages of 9 and 15 by morans as a symbol of her reservation for sexual engagement. The practice: Moran identifies an uncircumcised girl from his clan- usually between 9-15 Makes his intention to bead girl known to girls brother or mother. Refusal of morans proposal to a girl is considered a great insult. If accepted, buys beads for the mother to put on the girl Once beaded, girl expected to act as his “bride” and provide sex exclusively to him at his will Mother of beaded girl builds a hut where moran can have sex with the girl at will Moran rewards mother with gifts (tea, cash, could be as little as Kes 500) Girl not allowed to get pregnant and if pregnant, is forcefully aborted and if gives birth her infant is killed or given away to another tribe Some mothers oppose to beading but conform to social pressure

Morans with their child brides/beaded girls

Negative consequences of the practice Beaded girls deprived of education Sexual exploitation/violation and abuse of minors Health/reproductive complication Psychological trauma Child rights violation Teenage pregnancies Infanticide/illegal adoption

Supporting beliefs and Sanction Schema of a good Moran: A moran cannot marry (empirical/normative belief) Moran should not have sex with married or circumcised girls/women (empirical/normative belief) Moran should bead uncircumcised girl from his clan (empirical/normative belief) Moran cannot marry their beaded girls (empirical/normative belief) Good moran gives gifts to her beaded girls mother (empirical/normative) Good moran provides safety and security for his beaded girl (empirical/normative belief) Supporting beliefs and Sanction Beading of girls by morans curtails promiscuity (factual belief The fidelity of morans who refuse to bead a girl cannot be trusted (factual belief) Intermarriage within clan is forbidden (empirical/normative belief)

Supporting Sanction and beliefs Schema of a good girl: Girls beaded by morans should provide sex to moran (empirical/normative belief) Uncircumcised beaded girl must not get pregnant (empirical/normative belief) Sing praises her moran (factual belief) Beaded girl is protected and valued Supporting Sanction and beliefs Beaded girls are held in high esteem (positive sanction) Beading of girls by morans curtails promiscuity (factual belief) Uncircumcised beaded girl who get pregnant brings shame and disrespect to herself, family and community (negative sanction) Beaded girls who keep babies born from relationship with moran cannot get a husband (negative sanction/empirical and normative belief) Un-beaded girls are not protected (negative sanction)

Schema of a good mother: Mother of beaded girl should build a hut for the moran and her daughter to meet in (empirical/normative belief) Good mother agrees for her daughter to be beaded (empirical/normative belief) Good mother is rewarded with gifts by her daughters moran (empirical/normative) Supporting Sanctions Refusal of a morans proposal to bead a girl is a great insult negative sanction) Beaded girls are held in high esteem (positive sanction) Un-beaded girls are not protected (negative sanction)

Interventions so far TV documentaries bringing the problem to light. Civil society action engaging community for discussion and educating communities mothers/providing rescue. (value discussion) Missionaries and govt. run boarding schools providing sanctuary for girls who run away from beading. (unconditional preference) Legislation on harmful practices and culture in place (legislative norm) UNICEF partnership with Religious coordinating body IRCK covering Samburu county is being revised to include strong CP component

Churches promoting marriage for love An evolving practice Churches promoting marriage for love Morans refusing to bead girls but for love and long term relationship Introduction of alternative right of passage for FGC well accepted Mothers/parents supporting their girls to refuse being beaded by moran Parents beading their girls Educated Samburu are beading older girls for marriage

Proposed change and change mechanisms Focus on shifting the norm – finding none harmful alternative to the practice Promoting inter-marriage within the clan/delayed sexual debut Beading of girls from other clans for marriage/delayed sexual debut Developing a next generation of Samburus less favourable to the practice Reduced period of moranhood Mechanisms: Minimal information on factors that influence behaviours and practice exist currently, need to fill information gap: In-depth understanding of attitudes, social expectations and reference network (central , the high degree nodes and the bridges/ties, the credible facilitators) to help determine best entry point, pathways for diffusion /scale up Re-categorise schema and scripts: Build on positive deviance – promote “higher value”/modelling – morans who refuse to bead minors as role model; modelling girl child value and beauty beyond beading. Build on the increasing acceptance of alternative FGC practice to promote alternative beading practices Role modelling and reframing of “social expectations through school)

De-model/re-model (framing)

Proposed change and change mechanisms Change factual and normative beliefs – make the minority become the majority to facilitate communal decision to change Facilitate sustained deliberation on values and alternatives by core groups and tapping into networks - Religious leaders, school teachers, morans (in favour and opposed to bidding, mothers/parents (for and opposed to bidding) beaded/bead-able girls Value deliberation topical issues to include – physiology of the girl child, Child rights and protection, girl child health and wellbeing, harmful consequences of practice and alternatives practices. Use “Vignettes and field experiments” to exploring alternatives to girl child beading by morans. Value dialogue through community radio Use high value bridges to export/diffuse innovation between communities/clans

Thank you Asanteni Sana