Child Protection Groups Urge Sierra Leone Parliament to Ban FGM for Minors

Leading children's protection organizations are making a strong appeal to the Speaker of Sierra Leone's Parliament, urging the explicit abolition of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) for underage girls within the Child Rights Act 2024. 

This comes as the crucial legislation approaches its final reading and potential enactment.

The African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) and the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa (SRRWA) have jointly addressed Parliament, reiterating concerns previously raised with President Julius Maada Bio. 

Their prior communication, dated October 24, 2024, expressed alarm over parliamentary discussions suggesting FGM's exclusion from the Act and stressed the need for explicit prohibition to align with Sierra Leone's international obligations.

The organizations emphasize that the Child Rights Act must be guided by fundamental principles: the best interests of the child, non-discrimination, survival and development, and child participation. 

They highlight Article 21(1) of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and Article 5 of the Maputo Protocol, both mandating the elimination of harmful practices like FGM. The absence of such clear prohibitions, they argue, represents a critical gap in child protection.

With Sierra Leone having ratified these vital instruments, the ACERWC and SRRWA are strongly advocating for the inclusion of an unambiguous prohibition of FGM in the final version of the Child Rights Act, ensuring comprehensive protection for all children in the nation.