Girl Child Network and FAHP Mark International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM in Sierra Leone

By Saidu Dumbuya

Makeni, Sierra Leone – Girl Child Network Sierra Leone, in collaboration with the Forum Against Harmful Practices (FAHP), commemorated the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) on February 6, 2025, at the Conteh You Guest House in Makeni, Northern Sierra Leone.

Addressing participants, Madam Anita Koroma, Executive Director of Girl Child Network, emphasized that this annual UN awareness day, introduced in 2003, aims to eradicate FGM worldwide. She underscored that FGM is a violation of fundamental human rights, causing severe physical, psychological, social, and economic consequences that persist throughout a survivor’s lifetime.

“Today, over 230 million girls and women worldwide are survivors of FGM,” she stated. “The stakes are high, with an estimated 27 million additional girls at risk in the next five years, and nearly 4.4 million girls projected to be at risk in 2025 alone.”

Madam Koroma urged greater investment in resources, open discussions, and social norm shifts to prevent this harmful practice. “As agents of change, we all have a role to play in ensuring that girls grow up free from FGM,” she said.

This year’s theme, “Stepping up the pace: Strengthening alliances and building movements to end FGM,” highlights the urgent need for collaboration. It calls on girls, boys, men, women, youth, survivors, communities, and organizations—both governmental and non-governmental—to take action.

A key moment of the event was the pledge by 19 traditional FGM practitioners (Sowies) to abandon the practice. These former initiators surrendered their razors and knives, signaling their commitment to ending FGM.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Kolorneh Sesay, Chairlady of the Sowies, expressed their willingness to transition away from FGM. “We are ready to lay down our tools and learn new skills to develop ourselves,” she affirmed.

Aminata Lucy Kamara, Deputy Coordinator of the Children’s Forum Network (CFN), educated participants—particularly young girls—about laws prohibiting child initiation into FGM.

She issued a strong warning to traditional practitioners:
“Anyone caught forcefully initiating a girl will face the full force of the law and could be sentenced to prison.”

The event gathered participants from several surrounding communities in Makeni, fostering a collective commitment to ending FGM.

This engagement marks a significant step forward in the fight against FGM in Sierra Leone, signaling hope for a future where girls can grow up safe, healthy, and free from harmful traditional practices.