By Amin Kef Sesay
Despite the fact that Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is globally recognized as an extreme violation of the rights of women and girls, the practice is widely accepted in Sierra Leone – both as a social and cultural norm.
Sierra Leone does not presently have any national law that explicitly prohibits and punishes the practice of FGM. Previous efforts to criminalize it have not materialized.
On Tuesday July 27th, 2021 the Forum Against Harmful Practices, a coalition of 17 Civil Society Organizations engaged the Parliamentary Caucus Committee on the elimination of FGM.
The Secretary General of FAHP, Madam Aminata Koroma said the purpose of the meeting was to update Members of Parliament especially the anti FGM Caucus members about the status of FGM in the country and the important role MPs play to end the practice in the country.
The coalition, she said, has made several strides over the years to ensure that the country eliminates the practice of FGM and become part of the global village on eradicating traditional harmful practices.
Madam Koroma informed Lawmakers that the Sierra Leone Government has signed many treaties and international conventions aimed at protecting women and girls from Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Sierra Leone.
She informed the Committee that the National Strategy that was prepared by the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, FHAP with support from UNICEF during the last regime is yet to be signed.
The Secretary stated that the National Strategy on FGM reduction is not fighting to abolish the ‘Bondo’ culture but removing FGM from the bondo institution.
She admitted that Bondo society has several cultural benefits for women and girls and that the Coalition is only campaigning for the eradication of the harmful part of the society.
However, she maintained that FGM has no health benefit on women and girls and that the practice has social and economic implications.
She said that FAHP has made several strides to help curtail the rampant initiation of women and girls into FGM but realized that there is no political will which is key to end FGM.
FAHP, she added, has realized that politicians are the one sponsoring Soweis to initiate women and girls with the ultimate aim of wooing votes.
She appealed to MPs to influence the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs to sign the National Strategy which will serve as safeguard tool for the campaign against FGM in Sierra Leone.
In 2014, Government placed a countrywide ban on FGM to control the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease. Individuals found guilty of carrying out the procedure were fined and although this led to a drastic reduction in the prevalence of FGM at the time, the ban was not effected long term. The practice of FGM resumed and has since then been going on uninterrupted. Reports of women and girls being kidnapped and forced to undergo the cut are common.
Due to the lack of political goodwill; failure by the State to condemn FGM; and remarks from various political leaders justifying the practice, this human rights violation continues unabated.
In this regard, one of the anti-FGM campaigners, ‘’Equality Now’’ called on President Julius Maada Bio, the Ministries of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs; Internal Affairs; Health and Sanitation; and the Sierra Leone Judiciary and law enforcement mechanism to:
Permanently ban FGM by enacting and enforcing a comprehensive anti FGM law
Support educational outreach to relevant communities and local chiefs on the harms of FGM
Protect women and girls who are uncut, from intimidation and abuse
We further call upon the First Lady Fatima Bio to take FGM as part of her Hands off Our Girls campaign that seeks to protect girls from various human rights violation such as child marriage and sexual violence that are greatly interlinked with FGM or happen as a result of FGM.
Culturally, women and girls who have not been cut are often frowned upon and prohibited from taking part in certain community functions. The practice is for the most part carried out by traditional cutters (Soweis) who yield a lot of power and control over traditional women.
