As UN Women Ambassador On FGM Calls For Investment In The Fight Against FGM Globally
PHOTO: Traditional elders and Zoes
By Alfred Kollie, alfredkolliejr92@gmail.com
In observance of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), the National Traditional Council of Liberia and Zoes have finally banned the practice of FGM in Liberia, beginning with Montserrado County.
Further engagements are expected in the other 14 counties of Liberia.
FGM is Female Genital Mutilation. It is also known as female genital cutting, or circumcision, which is said to be the ritual cutting or removal of some or all of the external female genitalia. It is widely practiced widely in and other countries and it considered to be harmful.
The International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation is a United Nations-sponsored annual awareness day that takes place on February 6 as part of the UN efforts to eradicate FGM which was first introduced in 2003.
The chiefs, elders and Zoe’s decision come as a result of several engagement and education by both local and national partners on the harmful effects of FGM on women and girls after the three years of executive order on the suspension of FGM.
Speaking at the observance in upper Montserrado County, the Chairman of the National Transitional Council of Liberia Chief Zanzan Karwor in collaboration with Zoes officially banned the practice of FGM in Montserrado County and called on all Zoes to desist from such act.
This means that there will be an initiation without mutilation, that the Sandi School or bush school will still continue but there will be no more FGM practices or activities
“This is a traditional practice with the traditional authority to ban FGM in Liberia but there will be consultation and rituals to be perform in other affected countries. Traditional FGM is banned and from culture standpoint it is also banned in Liberia.” Culture ambassador Juli Endee noted.
“We do this because we do not want Liberia to be behind, we do this for the International partners to help Liberia, if FGM is holding the support, then we banned it, by the power in me vested I hereby banned FGM in Montserrado County,” Chief Karwor announced.
According to Chief Karwor, they are ending the activities of FGM as a result of its harmful effects and not based on money appeal for support toward the task force that monitor and follow all traditional activities calling for strong support for the task force in every aspect to enable them to carry out their mandate across Liberia.
But speaking at the observance of International FGM Day Monday February 6, 2023 in Todee District of Montserrado County, UN Women Good Will Ambassador on FGM, Ma. Musu Jaha Dukureh commended women most especially zoes for standing up for the of women and girls in Liberia and Africa in the fight against FGM.
“I want to say thank you and we are with you, my commitment is that I will work with the Liberian government, traditional leaders, CSOs, and grassroots organizations to ensure that Liberia gets to zero but this would happen overnight,” Ambassador Dukureh noted.
The UN Women Good Will Ambassador on FGM however stressed the need for collaborative effort with stakeholders and educates communities by investing in women nothing that investment in women and girls will help lift them out of poverty and be able to end violence against them.
According to her, FGM is underfunded around the world something that undermine the fight but challenged everyone to stop the practice and put more money in the fight against FGM.
“Today I don’t have much to say, I just want to say a huge thank you to all the UN Agencies, and the beautiful and amazing queen Juli, chief Zanzan Karwor and all of our zoes for the effects,” Ambassador Dukureh said.
In remarks, the Traditional Head Zoe, Massa Kandakai noted that ending FGM in Montserrado was a huge and difficult task for her and her colleagues after several years of practice.
Madam Kandakai however, commended the UN Women and other partners for their support given aimed at ending FGM in Montserrado.
“I cry when I was leaving the activities, I cry with tears because I was small when I join to replace my late mother who was also the head zoe so leaving it was a difficult task for me but now, we finished all over, we wash our hand you can tell the Journalists to go check, we have closed finally and do not listen to any journalist that will say we still peace it,” the traditional head Zoe explained.
Gov’t launches alternation economic livelihood program
As part of the ban on FGM in Montserrado County, Gender Minister Williametta E. Saydee Tarr has launched the alternative Economic livelihood program for formal practitioners of FGM especially zoes to enable them learn new skills for survival through the heritage center.
The heritage center is a training center build through the spotlight initiative in four FGM countries expected to extend to all eleven counties that will teach women and Zoe’s skill from livelihood support.
She maintained that they will remain to engage and be supportive to the Zoes in all aspects in doing away with harmful traditional practices across Liberia.
Meanwhile, UN Women Country Representative Madam Comfort Lamptey disclosed that eight hundred former FGM practitioners are to benefit from a village saving loan aimed at supporting sustainability within the eleventh affected FGM counties.
“We have all underlined the importance of safeguarding the beautiful activities of FGM in the Liberian tradition while eradicating the harmful traditional practices that has come to be known as the initiation of without mutilation. I want to also thank the Vice President, Gender Minister and all government officials and partners who have been championing and leading in protecting the right of women and girls to abolish FGM,” the UN Woman Country Representative to Liberia Ms. Comfort Lamptey added.
The International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, which was observed on Monday, February 6, 2023 in Songkay Town in upper Montsertado County, brought together International partners, government officials and traditional leaders including civil society organizations.