By: Audrey Raymonda John
The Forum Against Harmful Practices (FAHP) has strongly condemned the forced initiation of over 50 underage girls into Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) in the Gbo-Kakajama Section, Nongowa Chiefdom, Kenema District.
The condemnation was made public during a press conference held at the newly constructed Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) office in Kenema.
Reading from an official press release, Madam Rugiatu Neneh Turay, Chairperson of FAHP, described the incident as deeply disappointing and alarming. She reported that over 50 girls, more than half of whom were under the age of 18 with the youngest being just 3 years old were subjected to FGM/C in a Bondo Bush within the Gbo-Kakajama Section.
“This shocking act comes at a time when the Government of Sierra Leone is making efforts to establish an ‘Age of Consent’ policy regarding harmful traditional practices,” Madam Turay stated.
She emphasized that such actions violate several international human rights protocols, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Maputo Protocol, both of which Sierra Leone has ratified.
FAHP’s internal investigation revealed that the mass initiation was reportedly sponsored by a woman currently residing in the United States, alongside her family. The Forum expressed deep concern over the disruption this has caused in the lives of school-going children.
“Some of the girls initiated were preparing for end-of-year examinations, which are crucial for their promotion to the next academic level,” Madam Turay noted. “These children have not only been physically harmed but also deprived of education, autonomy, health, and dignity.”
FAHP has partnered with community stakeholders and child protection agencies to safeguard the affected children and ensure their immediate care. The organization is urging the Government of Sierra Leone, particularly the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs and the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, to take swift and decisive action against the perpetrators.
“We stand in solidarity with the girls of Gbo-Kakajama and with all children at risk of FGM/C,” Madam Turay affirmed. “We reaffirm our commitment to a future where every child grows up free from violence, coercion, and discrimination.
FAHP continues to advocate for the abolition of harmful traditional practices and calls for heightened awareness, legislative reform, and community engagement to end FGM in Sierra Leone once and for all.