Calls For Ending FGM Grow Louder

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) remains one of Sierra Leone’s most difficult human-rights challenges, exposing the tension between cultural preservation, political influence and the fundamental rights of women and girls. While Bondo remains an important traditional institution in many communities, growing concerns about the continuation of FGM demand stronger political commitment, legal reform and public accountability.

The debate becomes more troubling when allegations emerge that politicians and influential individuals may be financing mass Bondo initiation ceremonies. Such allegations must be independently investigated and supported by credible evidence. However, they raise an important question: has cultural preservation become intertwined with political interests, particularly where traditional authorities command considerable influence within local communities?

According to UNICEF’s 2024 global estimates, more than 230 million girls and women worldwide have undergone FGM, with Africa accounting for more than 144 million cases. The World Health Organization has repeatedly warned that FGM offers no health benefits and can result in severe bleeding, infections, chronic pain, psychological trauma and complications during childbirth.

Sierra Leone faces a particularly serious challenge. The 2019 Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey estimated that approximately 83 per cent of women aged 15–49 had undergone FGM, compared with 90 per cent in 2013. Although the decline suggests some progress, the prevalence remains alarmingly high and demonstrates the urgent need for sustained intervention.

The central issue is not whether Sierra Leone should abandon its cultural heritage. Rather, it is whether harmful practices associated with certain traditional ceremonies should continue to be protected under the argument of cultural preservation. Cultural identity and the protection of children’s rights should not be treated as competing interests.

Political leaders must therefore explain their positions. If politicians or political organisations sponsor initiation ceremonies, the public deserves transparency about the source of funding, the purpose of the sponsorship and whether appropriate safeguards exist to protect girls from FGM. No political party should use traditional institutions as instruments of electoral mobilisation at the expense of children’s welfare.

Another concern is Sierra Leone’s legal framework. The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2024, represents an important development in protecting children, but it does not automatically criminalise FGM. Sierra Leone needs a comprehensive legal framework specifically addressing the practice, including prevention, protection, accountability and support for survivors. Parliament must demonstrate the political courage to address this gap.

Economic interests also deserve attention. Where traditional ceremonies generate income and influence, reform can face resistance. Government and development partners must therefore work with traditional practitioners to establish alternative livelihoods, while supporting cultural practices that do not involve cutting.

Importantly, examples of Bondo ceremonies without cutting demonstrate that cultural instruction and community belonging can be preserved without exposing girls to unnecessary harm. Such initiatives should be evaluated as transitional approaches towards the complete elimination of FGM, rather than becoming permanent substitutes that leave the underlying practice unresolved.

The Ministry of Social Welfare, Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Parliament, civil society organisations, traditional authorities and law-enforcement institutions must work together to strengthen public education, child-protection systems and independent monitoring.

Ultimately, Sierra Leone’s political leadership must decide what legacy it wants to leave. Political loyalty, traditional influence and electoral calculations should never outweigh the health, dignity and future of a child.

The question is no longer simply whether Bondo should survive. It is whether Sierra Leone can protect its cultural identity while ending practices that threaten the lives and rights of its girls.

No political ambition should be more important than a child’s right to safety, dignity and bodily integrity.