The Civil Society National Reference Group on the Spotlight Initiative condemns conscription into FGM practice and cutting of a 11-year-old girl in Margibi County and calls for appreciate justice.
The Government of Liberia, EU Delegation to Liberia, the One UN body, International Partners, media, and fellow Liberians. With heavy heart, the CS NRG attention has been drawn to the Frontpage Africa report on the conscription of a 11-year-old girl by order of the Chief Zoe- Ma Famatta Musa of Margibi County on September 15, 2022. The little girl suffered from Fistula due to uncontrollable bleeding after the practice according medical report from Benson Hospital. Based on intervention from Rev. Tour and other activists, the 11 years old girl was recused on October 3, 2022 for medical treatment.
Though it is true that traditionalists have resolved to continue their ancestors’ practice particularly FGM in Liberia, however, respect for the rights of women and girls must be considered and respected. No person, irrespective of his/her traditional or civil status has the right to conscript, dehumanized, abuse or violate any woman or girl, in adherence to ancestors’ practice/FGM, simply because they came in contact in practical performance.
Accordingly, in July of 2020, the Human Rights Council adopted “resolution 44/16 on the elimination of female genital mutilation, to speed up efforts to reach zero tolerance for FGM by 2030 and to restate the global ban on the harmful practice as it constitutes a serious violation of women’s rights”. This call by the UN is in affirmation to Article 5 of the Maputo Protocol and Article 5b of the Liberia 1986 Constitution that promotes.
It can be recalled that on February 4, 2022, in Gbarnga City, Bong County, in observance of International Day of Zero tolerance to FGM, representatives of traditional chiefs and Elders from all 11 practicing counties of FGM, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection, National Working Against FGM, Civil Society Council of Liberia and other actors developed and signed a three-year ban, suspending the practice of FGM practice in Liberia. The three years ban/suspension strictly prohibits the practice of FGM in Liberia, and if any one violet, the traditional council of chiefs and Elders will apprehend and penalized said violator(s). In contrary, violators are not been penalized, thought there are reported violations by CSOS.
In ensuring compliance, some CSOS, including He For She Crusaders Liberia, West Point women for Health and Development Organizations and Community Healthcare Initiative on September 22, 2022 made a visit in Margibi County and met with the Chief Zoe Ma Musa and others, though they pledged to continue their practice of FGM, when report, violation, the leadership of National Council of Chief and Elders refuted the report. In contrary to traditional leaders’ defense that they were not violating, Frontpage Africa on Wednesday, October 19, 2022 reports that by order of the same Ma Musa, chief zoe of Margibi County conscribed a 11-year-old girl child who now stands to experienced fistula.
The Civil Society National Reference Group through her chair Tamba Forkpah Jedidiah Johnson condemns the practice and calls justice and full medical care for this child.
Members of press, the EUROPEAN Union and United Nations has spent over 22 million in Liberia under the Spotlight Initiative aimed at addressing issues of harmful practices, as such, we will not allow our women and girls to keep being mutilated and violated by practitioners.
Accordingly, the 2010 Girls Educational Law of Liberia, forbids the operation of Sande/Bush schools in and around schools and domiciles, and also calls for the protection of all girls’ children against harmful practices.
At the just 77 Assembly of the UN, President George M. Weah informed the world that his government is robustly responding to the protection and promotion of women and girls, this declaration must now be actualized by providing justice for this innocent girl.
CS NRG is reminding the government of Liberia that she is a signature to all human rights instruments that includes CEDAW, Maputo Protocol, Human Rights Protocol. Liberia as a founding member of the UN, cannot keep violating the rights of women, girls and Marginalized groups. We totally condemned the conscription of this 11 years old girl and all others women and girls into FGM and call for justice.
