MONROVIA – The head of the Traditional Council of Liberia, Chief Zanzan Karwor, on Monday suspended the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) for three years.
Chief Karwor announced the suspension during the official launch of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection National Anti-Sexual Gender-based Violence (SGBV) Call Center and the turnover of 15 motorbikes and four cars to be used by the Anti-Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) taskforce headed by the Ministry of Justice.
According to Chief Karwor, due to the appeal of Liberia’s international partners and other civil society and women groupings, he has talked to his traditional people and they all have agreed to suspend the practice of partial or total removal of female genital organs in the sande traditional practice for three years.
“On behalf of the traditional people whom I’m heading, due to the appeal of Liberia’s international partners and others, I have talked to my traditional colleagues and they all have agreed to suspend the removal of female genital organs in the sandy traditional practice temporarily for three years,” he said.
He further called on the Gender Ministry to build a training center for the Zoe across all 15 counties to empower them through the sewing traditional clothes, among others, that will divert their devotion from traditional practices to more sustainable means of making ends meet.
He said the taskforce which was established by the Justice and Gender Ministries to fight against all forms of SGBV related issues should include the traditional council comprising the Zoe.
For her part, Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor launched the Anti-SGBV national call center number, 111 which is aimed at addressing sexual gender based violence issues in Liberia and solicit the need for the building of traditional school across Liberia that will teach kids the Liberian culture.
Gender Minister, Williametta Saydee-Tarr, said that the national taskforce set up by President Weah when he announced rape as a national emergency and with the effort of the ministry of gender and other gender actors in the fight against gender-based violence on Monday kickoff the Anti-SGBV taskforce and national Anti-SGBV call center.
“I am pleased today to announce to you that the National SGBV Taskforce which is being chaired by the ministry of gender has purchased 15 motorbikes and four cars that will be presented to the taskforce and use in the ten zones in Montserrado and ghettos area,” she said.
