WOSI Calls For More Public Awareness Around The Country
PHOTO: A recent forum held to raise awareness
By Alfred Kollie, alfredkolliejr92@gmail.com
Despite the ban on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Liberia, a civil society organization, Women Solidarity Incorporated (WOSI) has asserted that several citizens are unaware of the ban on traditional Sande Society practice in Liberia, despite the ban placed on it over a year ago.
Women Solidarity Incorporated (WOSI) is a national woman focus civil society organization that is one of the champions against the practice of Female Genital Mutilation in Liberia.
WOSI’s Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Catherine Nyae, asserted during a press conference held over the weekend at the institution’s office in Congo Town that several rural dwellers are not aware of the ban in Liberia.
While providing updates on its four-month project on “Assessing Citizens’ Compliance to the Suspension of Sande Practices in Liberia, Madam Nyae noted the awareness of the suspension is low.
She observed that FGM over the past has been done on girls of infant ages by inhabitants of the Government Farm community in lower Margibi County.
The project, which is funded by Women’s Actions Against Female Genital Mutilation of Japan ((WAAF-Fund -2022), is being implemented in the Government Farm community in Margibi County.
According to her, the practice was mostly done on girls of infant ages and even on older women without any medical reason and disregards their human rights.
According to Madam Nyea, out of 102 participants who attended the awareness dialogues on the three years ban on the practice of Sande or FGM in Government farms, only 11 participants had some knowledge of the ban.
On February 6, 2022, all Sande Practices including FGM were banned for three years by the government through the leadership of the National Council of Chiefs and Elders of Liberia (NACCEL).
Since then, there is not yet tangible evidence that the population is adhering to the suspension though the move is being hugely applauded in regional and international sectors as welcoming.
WOSI is requesting that the government and other international partners provide more support to the NACCEL and like-minded institutions to conduct more awareness on the ban.
This will ensure citizens’ compliance with the ban in upholding the human rights and health of vulnerable women and girls as we work hard to address the issue of gender-based violence, sexual reproductive health and rights, and Female Genital Mutilation around communities in Liberia.
The executive of this civil society organization has spoken of the need for more awareness of the ban on FGM in Liberia cannot be overly emphasized.