By Grace Q. Bryant
Traditional Leaders and International partners are calling on the Legislature for the passage of the FGM Bill into Law.
Speaking on behalf of the traditional leaders, Liberia’s Culture Ambassador, Juli Endee, said the passage of the bill is intended to ensure that the laws of Liberia reflect their commitment to protecting the fundamental rights and dignity of women and girls.
Madam Endee, who spoke during the closure of the bush school (Sande) in Lofa County, noted that Liberia remains one of the few countries in the region to outlaw FGM.
“As a cultural ambassador of Liberia, I join hands with Chief Zanzan Karwor and Ma. Satta Fofana-Saah to protect our women and girls from harmful traditional practices. I will not relent until the FGM bill is passed into law in Liberia. We will continue to advocate, we will mobilize stakeholders, we will continue to lobby, and we will continue to pursue where necessary until the bill is passed,” she expressed.
In 2022, then Deputy Speaker of the 54th Legislature and now Speaker of the 55th Legislature, Fonati Koffa, proffered a bill entitled “An Act Prohibiting Female Genital Mutilation of 2022.”
Representatives Thomas Goshua, Isaac Roland, Ceecee Barshell, Richard Koon, and Rustonlyn Dennis of the 54th Legislature, co-sponsored the Bill, which was forwarded by Plenary to the committees on Internal Affairs, Gender Equity, and Judiciary for deliberation.
Those committees were to make recommendations to plenary; unfortunately, the Bill did not get the needed support to be passed into law till the 54th Legislature came to an end.
Additionally, Madam Endee said that if the bill is passed into law, the bill will support the ban, and now that they have the traditional ban, they need a law from the Legislature to pass.
“As we gather here today in Lofa County to commemorate International Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), I am deeply honored to stand before you as we unite our voices in solidarity against this practice,” she said
According to her, FGM is a human rights issue that has beset their society for too long, denying millions of girls and women around the world the right to live free from violence, “Today, as we stand at the edge of change, we must reaffirm our relentless commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of every girl and woman in Liberia.”
She reminded the audience that as they reflect on the significance of this bill, it is important to strengthen the voices of the women under the resilience of their community and pledge to create a future where every girl can grow up from the shadow of FGM- a future where her voice is heard, respected, and her future is full of hope and promise.
“Therefore, we, the women of Liberia, will continue to promote initiation without mutilation. As you can see from what we have done, our women are not entrusted to Kpowa Sande; they will continue to uphold the culture and tradition of our county without FGM, so we support the initiation without mutilation,” Madam Endee maintained.
Meanwhile, the head of the National Council of Chiefs, Zanzan Karwor, called for Liberians to respect the presidency of Liberia and work together for national development.
He also called for a united voice towards development, urging Liberians to proffer ideas that will promote development in the country.
He pledged to support the administration of President Boakai, adding that anyone who fights a Head of State fights against development and peace.
However, Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of the United Kingdom (UK), Madam Kate Thomson, disclosed a recent commitment of US$70,000 made to HOPE Liberia, a local NGO, towards providing alternative livelihood opportunities for the traditional women in the four counties where the heritage centers have been erected.
In January of this year, the Charge d’Affaires of the UK in Liberia agreed to a new project with Helping Our People Excel (HOPE), which aims to make FGM history in Liberia, by providing alternative livelihoods for its practitioners and empowering women and girls.
Madam Thomson appreciated the traditional women for what she considered a difficult decision, and also hailed all other institutions that have been committed to the fight against FGM.
