Josephine Rotiken

Josephine Rotiken is a Kenyan lawyer and human rights activist who advocates for the rights of women and girls, particularly against female genital mutilation (FGM) and early marriage. She was rescued from forced early marriage as a child, later graduated with a law degree from Kabarak University, and was admitted as an advocate of the High Court of Kenya in 2024. Quotes "I wanted no other girl to go through what I went through. Now I have the tools to speak, to defend and to change things." FGM Joint Programme Annual Report 2025, UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme, 2025. "When a girl is subjected to these practices, it affects every part of her life. Her education, her freedom, her health and her future." FGM Joint Programme Annual Report 2025, UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme, 2025. "I feel indebted to my community and I commit to help in addressing challenges facing young girls especially from my community as a human rights activist." Dream come true for young lawyer who escaped early marriage, Business Today Kenya, 8 January 2018. "I intend to use my education to help girls, who find themselves in a similar situation such as mine, break free from retrogressive practises, and stand up for their rights." I defied my dad, it paid off, The Standard. "I got to argue my case and stood my ground telling my father it was wrong of him to force me into marrying a man that I did not love and that I had a future to face in education." I defied my dad, it paid off, The Standard. External links FGM Joint Programme Annual Report 2025 — UNFPA Category:Human rights activists Category:Women's rights activists