By: Problyn J. Alpha
The Kono District Senior Protection Officer in the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs has strongly said that government policies are against the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) for girls under the age of eighteen (18). Abubakarr Kanu made the statement during this year’s commemoration of the International day of zero tolerance for FGM at the new Youth Centre Community area in Koidu City, Kono District on the Theme: “Partnering with men and boys to transform Gender and Social norms to end FGM”.
Mr. Kanu further frowned at the idea of people compromising female genital mutilation practice at the detriment of the girls, women and the country as a whole in terms of the human capital development.
He maintained that to succeed in the fight against FGM everyone should be a watchdog to report the harmful practice especially when it has to do with underage girls.
Whilst registering his institution’s unflinching support, the Kono District Senior Protection officer in the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs counted on the efforts and support of religious leaders in the fight against the social menace (FGM). Ishmael Cole is the Program Coordinator forum Against Harmful Practices (FAHP) when making a statement, he foremost maintained that the day is commemorated globally every year with different themes in order to put an end to the said harmful practice.
He said the forum against Harmful Practices is a composition of at least twenty (20) different organizations across the country with the objective of speaking with one voice to end female genital mutilation. Mr. Cole described FGM as one of the major pillars of the Bondo Society which FAHP strongly condemns. However, the program Coordinator forum Against Harmful Practice noted that his institution believes that the Bondo Society is a culture and tradition that previously had something good notably the preservation of the virginity of girls noting it was an institution to learn girls and women the basic norms of life.
Ishmael Cole intimated the audience that all other aspects of the Bondo Society is ideal but the cutting or injuring of the female genitalia for no medical reason is harmful. He said science has proven that what is being cutoff constitutes thousands of tissues that are very good for the well-being and reproductive importance of women and girls.
In his statement earlier, the station Manager of the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Cooperation in Kono District Dauda Kamara who also chaired the aforementioned ceremony,
foremost underscored the successes of the day through collaborative efforts and urged members of the forum not to relent. He said the laudable fight against the practice of FGM started on the 6th of February, 2003 adding since then efforts to end the social menace have been on a very sound footing.
Mr. Kamara pointed out that at least one hundred and twenty (120) Million girls and women have been subjected to the harmful practice, whilst three Million are still at a very high risk. He thanked the family support Unit of the Tankoro Police Divisional Headquarters for promptly investigating and charging to court the recent FGM practice that claimed the life of a fourteen (14) year old girl in the district and therefore called on all and sundry to put hands on deck for the success of the fight in the district and the Country as a whole
Meanwhile representatives of the family support Unit from Tankoro and Motema Police Divisional Headquarters , Rainbow Initiative, Bike Riders Union, Sierra Leone Teachers Union, Civil Society Organization and religious leaders whilst making statements condemned the act noting mutilation is a human Rights and religious abuses as what God has created should not be extracted . The Victims of the harmful practice over the years include; late Fatmata Turay Formerly of Makeni age Nineteen (19) year of occurrence 2017, late Mamie Kamara formerly of Matatie Tonkolili District formerly of Nyandeh age twenty one year of occurrence 2021, late Memunatu Thronka formerly of Waterloo age sixteen (16) year of occurrence 2022 and Late Theresa Tarawally formerly of Kensay community Koidu City, Kono District age fourteen (14) date of occurrence fourteen ( (14) January, 2023.
This year’s commemoration of the International day of zero tolerance for FGM in Kono District was organized by the forum Against Harmful Practices in collaboration with Irish Aid, Purposeful and waves.
