The House of Representatives today voted to forward an Act Prohibiting Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) 2022, in Liberia to the committees on Judiciary, Gender and Internal Affairs.
The bill indicated that FGM practice has had psychosocial, social and political implications far beyond the painful procedures carried out by non-medical practitioners across the country.
In his communication to plenary, Deputy House Speaker Fonati Koffa noted that it is time to tackle the painful debate of harmful traditional practices, especially FGM against women and girls in Liberia.
“It is spirit of a right to privacy enshrined in our constitution and the global recognition that harmful traditional practices must be abolished that we lay this piece of Legislation before for debate and hopeful passage; so no longer will Liberian woman or girl live through the trauma of the violation of her privacy and Mutilation of her body,” Deputy Speaker Koffa Communication noted.
Part 2 section 1 of the Act “Abolishing FGM 2022” submitted, indicated that “A person who carries out female genital mutilation committed an offence and liable on conviction to Imprisonment not exceeding 10 years.”
Meanwhile, the plenary of the House further agreed to conduct engagements with their constituents on the bill, according to them, it borders on a sticky traditional issue.
FGM practice was recently banned in Liberia for three years to allow traditional leaders discuss appropriate means and measures for the process.
The abolition of FGM is coming at the United States high Court ban Abortion, thereby denying millions of US women the right to safe and legal abortion. The decision was made on the Roe V.S Wade case.
