Human Rights Awareness in Maasai Country, Kenya

Description

This field recording documents a human-rights awareness programme held on 12 March 2013 in Enarau, a rural community in Kajiado district in Maasai country south of Nairobi. The event was organised by Adhengo Boaz of the Jahwar Amber Fund with support from Hiyoshi Shinto Shrine of Nagoya, an IARF member group.

Community discussion addresses minority rights, respect for cultural traditions and the need to distinguish cultural identity from practices that violate human dignity. Female genital mutilation is discussed directly, alongside the role of elders, schools and community education in changing harmful practices without treating Maasai culture itself as a problem. The film provides a compact record of IARF-linked human-rights education at community level in East Africa.