By Shadrach Aziz Kamara
Freetown, Sierra Leone – Despite growing global condemnation and decades of advocacy, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) remains entrenched in parts of Sierra Leone, posing grave risks to the health, dignity, and future of young girls.
Often carried out under the pretext of cultural or traditional rites, FGM involves the partial or total removal of external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. Performed on girls as young as infancy and up to age 15—frequently without anesthesia and in unsanitary conditions—the practice causes devastating physical and psychological harm.
“I was only 12 when it happened,” recounts Mariatu, now 23, from the Northern Province. “I didn’t know what was going to happen until it was too late. I still remember the pain. It has affected my relationships and confidence ever since.”
Medical professionals warn of the immediate dangers: intense pain, severe bleeding, infections, and sometimes death. Long-term complications include chronic urinary issues, childbirth difficulties, infertility, and lifelong emotional trauma.
Globally, FGM is recognized as a violation of human rights. The United Nations, World Health Organization (WHO), African Union (AU), and ECOWAS have all classified it as a serious form of gender-based violence. Yet in Sierra Leone, where awareness campaigns have increased, there is still no formal nationwide ban, and enforcement remains limited.
Grassroots activists and civil society leaders are intensifying their calls for urgent legislative action and community-based interventions.
“The fight against FGM is not just about stopping the blade,” says Hawa Conteh, a women’s rights advocate in Bombali District. “It’s about transforming mindsets, educating communities, and restoring dignity to our girls.”
Many groups are now promoting alternative rites of passage that respect cultural values without causing harm. Programs aimed at retraining former practitioners and supporting survivors are gaining ground, with the hope of breaking generational cycles.
Dr. Fatmata Kargbo, a reproductive health specialist, emphasized the broader social impact: “FGM has no place in a modern, just, and equitable society. We cannot claim to be progressing if we are still harming our girls in the name of tradition.”
As Sierra Leone continues its journey toward democratic and social advancement, advocates say the country must prioritize the rights and protection of its most vulnerable—young girls whose voices have too often been silenced.
