ACT Engages Pujehun Stakeholders in Strategic Push to End FGM

Action for Community Tasks (ACT), supported by Purposeful through the Forum Against Harmful Practices, recently convened key district stakeholders to fortify community-level action and advocacy aimed at eradicating Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) across Pujehun District.

The high-level engagement, hosted at the ACT headquarters on Tongay Road in Pujehun Town, gathered local administrative authorities, traditional rulers, women and youth representatives, civil society leaders, and development partners.

Addressing members of the press, Sonny Leigh, Assistant Programme Officer at ACT, highlighted that the initiative aligns with the organization's broader mission to safeguard children from gender-based violence and systemic harmful practices.

A central focal point of the deliberations was the landmark ECOWAS Community Court of Justice ruling regarding FGM in Sierra Leone. The ruling mandates the national government to enact robust legislative prohibition of the practice, provide comprehensive support and protection services to survivors, investigate and prosecute offenders, and formulate national policies directed toward complete eradication.

Leigh underscored the imperative of sustained grass-roots sensitization and direct dialogue with traditional and faith-based leaders. He further advocated for the active inclusion and leadership of women and youth groups in child protection frameworks.

Emphasizing a bottom-up advocacy model, Leigh stressed that meaningful progress hinges on authentic community engagement rather than top-down directives.

“Achieving the total elimination of FGM and protecting the fundamental rights and well-being of young girls demands sustained, cross-sectoral collaboration among state institutions, traditional authorities, civil society entities, and local families,” Leigh noted.

Participating stakeholders pledged renewed commitment to backing community-driven interventions, enhancing public awareness campaigns, and promoting non-harmful cultural rites of passage.

The consultation is expected to improve institutional coordination and foster stronger community ownership of anti-FGM programs across the district's chiefdoms.

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