BY HRCSL Media Team
232NEWS, FREETOWN —
Sierra Leone is one out of 28 countries in Africa, where Female Genital Mutilation/ Cutting is known to be practiced and regularly performed in a ‘secret society’ called the Bondo Society.
According to the 2019 Demographic Health Survey, 83 percent of women aged 15-49 have undergone FGM, a decrease from 90 percent in 2013.
The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL) has over the years done extensive advocacy and awareness raising on female genital mutilation/cutting.
Director of Gender and Children’s Affairs at HRCSL, Madam Gloria Bayoh, spoke about the Commission’s interventions which include the Commission’s engagement in 2022 with traditional leaders and soweis on a rights-based approach to FMG and its position to respect the age of consent, which is 18 years.
During the one-day dialogue with stakeholders in collaboration with Forum Against Harmful Practice with support from UNFPA through Restless development on the draft National Strategy on the Reduction of FGM, Madam Bayoh further stated that “Our duty now is to advocate strongly in having a specific law on FGM. We decided to generate discussions around this draft strategy for stakeholders to be aware of its existence,” she said.
This strategy was developed in 2015 but never considered despite advocacy strides and national consultations made by rights-based organisations in the country.
Chairman of Western Area Tribal Heads, Chief Sahr Orlando Gbekie said they as chiefs are not against FGM but they are very much concerned about its harmful practices and its effects on women and girls. He spoke about the importance of tribal authorities in abolishing or reducing FGM in the country, stating that they most times consented when the act is done.
A victim from Bo District narrated the difficulties she encountered when she was initiated by the Soweis. She said she was initiated twice because they alleged that she had abused her grandmother. According to her, she was physically beaten during the process, and that led her to sustained injuries.
Vice President of Children’s Forum Network, Foday Bangura said: “As an organisation we have done a lot of advocacy around upholding tradition and ensuring that it does not affect the welfare of young girls.”
Deputy Chairperson of FAHP, Madam Hannah Yambasu said their advocacy started in 2010 with the promotion of the age of consent which is 18 years, but it has not yielded any dividend. “FGM is still an issue in Sierra Leone and is on the increase. For us at FAHP, we are saying there is no age of consent. We want zero tolerance on FGM because our women and children are dying from it,” she said.
