The secretary general of Girls Alliance For Future Leadership (GAFL), Ms. Kadiatu Bah has described the age-old practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) as something that is “affecting the growth and development of our younger female generation.”
Due to this reasoning, Ms. Bah has called on legislators to enact a law that will abolish “domestic violence against women and girls, including the FGM.”
FGM is the practice, traditional in some cultures, of partially or totally removing the external genital of girls and young women for non-medical reasons. It is illegal in many countries.
According to Ms. Bah, survivors of sexual violence, especially girls and adolescent women, don’t often come forward to report the ordeal endured from their attacker(s) in such situation for fear of meeting reprisals in the aftermath of the report.
Ms. Bah: “FGM remains the most existential threat to the development of the girl child.”
She said, Liberian girls mostly suffer the worst forms of violence perpetrated against them. As such, she has called on the Joseph Nyuma Boakai led-administration, and members of the legislature to introduce an amendment to the
Domestic Violence law, making it a criminal offence to perform FGM on a girl child.
According to her, government is not preparing today’s youths for the future despite the huge international intervention over the years, as the country remains a hostile environment for raising children.
Ms. Bah: “Domestic violence, couple with FGM is seriously affecting the growth of young women and girls. therefore, government should enact a law that will put an end to traditional harmful practices, if it is truly concern about persevering and protecting the future of the girl child.”
The United States Department of States country report on human rights practices for 2023 and 2024, shows that Liberia does not, or will have little or no interest in effectively enforcing the laws on domestic violence.
Ms. added: “Most victims of domestic violence, seek redress outside the formal justice system due to lack of speedy and transparent trials.”
“The domestic violence bill was passed by the House of Representative on July 4, 2019, with senate concurring with the House on the same bill on July 18, of the same year. Yes, the domestic violence bill was passed without the key component that could provide protection for the girl child against FGM. The practice has reportedly continued across the country.”
She continues: “From time immemorial, FGM by even tradition standards for its practitioners was a rite of passage to womanhood or marriage. Adolescent girls or girls above 18 years, were selected for the ceremony as rape, child brides and forced initiation are now at an alarming proportion.”
She said, the country is currently facing a devastating yet, ignored crisis, as children young as seven years, are now being forcibly initiated into FGM, something which must be abolished.
Ms. Bah made the assertion recently at program marking the commemoration of the ‘Day of the African Child,’ which is celebrated each year on June 16, since 1991, when the Organization of African Unity (OAU, now AU) first initiated it.
The event honors the memory of those who participated in the Soweto Uprising in 1976, thereby raising awareness of the continued need for the improvement of education provided to African children.
About ten thousand black school children marched in a column more than half mile in Soweto, South Africa on June 16, 1976, protesting the inadequate quality of their education and demanding their rights to be taught in their own language.
Hundreds of the young students were fatally shot at, thus killing more than a hundred in the protests.
Peace Crops Country Director, Vernice Guthrie, who proxied for United States Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission, Catherine Rodriguez, cautioned the young students to also aspire for greatness if they are to achieve their respective goals in life.
She then admonished the young girls not to underestimate themselves in whatever they do, rather see some of the great women from the country, who have graced the international stage to serve as their champion and role model in fulfilling their dreams.
Macpherson C. Marbiah writes/0886442881-0777250370