Monrovia – Anti-FGM groups, Women Solidarity Incorporated (WOSI) and the National Working Group against Female Genital Mutilation (NAWOGA-FGM) have called on President George M. Weah and the Legislature to pass
Report by Mercy N. Karnuah, Intern Reporter
The groups made the call amid the expiration of Executive Order #92 issued by former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on January 18, 2018; few days before leaving office.
The law which expired on January 18, 2019, among other things banned the practice of FGM for girls below 18 years.
Addressing a press conference in Monrovia on Wednesday, January 23, the groups observed that the Executive Order which has been regarded by many rights’ groups as an effective tool in protecting girls against FGM was not effective.
The groups attributed the ineffectiveness of the Executive Order to the “lack of knowledge on the existence of the ban and lack of a coordinated multi –sectoral implementation of the ban by state agencies.”
“It has been noted that even with the existence of the executive order, there has been an increase in the number of bushes with practice extending to 11 counties from the previous 10 counties, the newest being Grand Gedeh County,’’ said the groups in the statement read by Madam Marian G. Deah, the Executive Officer of WOSI and Co-Chair of NAWOGA.
Against this backdrop, the group wants the government and its partners to ensure that tighter and permanent law is passed to ensure the total protection of women and girls from the harmful practice.
“Most importantly we are calling on President George M. Weah, Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor along with the 54th Legislature to ensure a permanent protection of women and girls against the practice of Female Genital Mutilation in adherence to the many regional and international human rights instruments that Liberia subscribes to by legislating a law prohibiting the practice in the country in a soonest possible time. The human rights of women and girls cannot be compromised under this popular regime of the Liberian people,” the group noted.
By legislating anti-FGM law, the group asserted that the government will be fulfilling some of its promises made through the Deputy Minister of Justice during the 123rd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Committee in Geneva towards the promotion its citizens’ human rights including fighting against harmful traditional and cultural practices as enshrined in article 5b of the Liberian Constitution.
Meanwhile, the groups have lauded all advocacy groups- local and international, especially the Traditional Council of Chiefs and Elders of Liberia (NTCCEL) for their pivotal role in the anti-FGM campaign over the past year.
They claimed that despite the limitations of the Executive Order #92, NTCCEL, along with the Liberia National Police (LNP) in September 2018 intervened and saved over 100 school going girls who were forcibly recruited and subjected to FGM in Nimba County.
The intervention, which led to the arrest of six practitioners of the harmful practice, according to the group was a result of calls made by the public and press statements issued by WOSI and the ‘He4She’ Crusaders Liberia; giving the government a 72-hour ultimatum to restore the liberties of the girls.