Some regional stakeholders have convened and lobbyed for approval of the National Strategy for FGM Reduction in Sierra Leone.

The event took place at the Port Loko District Council Hall which brought together mammoth of Stakeholders in the North West Region from all works of life.

Stakeholders invited includes  Paramount chiefs, chiefdom speakers, religious leaders,  soweis (FGM Practitioners), police, CSO’s, MSW, Artists, and other community stakeholders from, Port loko, Kambia and Karene Districts respectively.

In his welcome address; the deputy chairman of the Port Loko District Council, Musa Idriss Kanu(SAJ) expressed many thanks and appreciation to the organizers for bringing together these people sitting in this hall interactively. He said since he came across Madam Rugiatu Neneh Turay; as he knows for her relentless fight, campaign, lobbying and advocacy to end FGM in Sierra Leone. He further said bringing custodians of tradition to this convening is by NO mistake but the right approach as they directly deal with their people. They issue licences before the practice, if they come together and say NO to FGM it will be a story to tell, he ended his statement by assuring all stakeholders for their safety and wish them a happy stay.

The Executive Director for AIM and Chairperson for FAHP Madam Rugiatu Neneh Turay in her opening statement expressed her gratitude especially to the paramount chiefs to gather in the hall today and on time. She said this showed how we were keen to know why they are called.

She added that speaking of the national strategy on FGM Reduction, the were there to discuss that day what they  intended for a broad audience of policy-makers in government, parliamentarians, international agencies, professional associations, community leaders, religious leaders, NGOs and other institutions which were considered as key contributors to get this strategy signed.

She said age of consent is just postponement,  but the pain a child suffers when cut is sometimes harder when full grown, and cut is cut it has no limitation.

“But if we all come together to get this strategy done, it caters for almost all areas.”

She further said, “ today we will look at the national strategy on FGM Reduction in SL that was drafted since 2016-2020.”

After the slides, a documentary on FGM cut was showed on the screen for stakeholders to see the reality of what was happening and done inside the Bondo bush just in the name of culture. Few among them were able to watch the documentary while others ran out and some close their eyes, at the end of the documentary; they made an open discussion where many stakeholders attest to the fact that they never knew their girls are going through such pain, and made commitments that they will start with their girl child, NO one will subject herself to FGM.

Speaker Malapi of Bekeh Loko chiefdom made a request to AIM & FAHP for community display of this documentary so that children, soweis, mothers and fathers can see what they call bondo, with this he said it will help in the fight against FGM and any young girl who has never gone through set eyes on this documentary will never be fooled again to go in it, Others Paramount chiefs made similar request.

The Sheiks and Pastors who were present make it clear to everyone that FGM is not mentioned in any of the books,  but people bring this as a way of wickedness  and deny what the word of God says, and ended by saying judgment is waiting for them for correcting what God has make perfect in his own way and liking.

In her response Madam Rugiatu Neneh Turay said, she has heard the request of the chiefs and told them she has auctioned it, but also told them they are working in those remote areas and all programs happen in those communities,  and said this is only brought here because it’s a Regional stakeholders convening hadn’t been that we should have been in the communities. She ended by telling all stakeholders that they are working all over the country, in all 13 Districts.