By Abdul Bero Kamara: editor Sledgehammer
Female genital mutilation (FGM) continues to endanger the lives and futures of thousands of girls in Sierra Leone. Closely linked to the Bondo Society, a long-standing traditional initiation institution, the practice persists despite overwhelming evidence of its harmful physical, psychological, and social consequences. While culture is often cited in its defence, the continued tolerance of FGM represents a failure of political will and a breach of the country’s human rights obligations.
Girls between the ages of one and 18 are subjected to FGM, often without consent and with little understanding of the risks involved. Over the years, many have suffered severe complications, and some have lost their lives. In 2024 alone, at least three girls reportedly died during initiation ceremonies due to FGM-related complications—tragic deaths that were entirely preventable.
FGM has become a politically sensitive issue in Sierra Leone. Both major political parties, the All People’s Congress (APC) and the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), have avoided taking decisive action to outlaw the practice, wary of alienating influential traditional leaders and voter blocs. Although the APC government introduced measures between 2016 and 2019 to limit FGM, particularly for minors, Sierra Leone still lacks an explicit legal ban.
The Child Rights Act of 2024 was a missed opportunity. While it strengthened protections for children, it failed to criminalise FGM, leaving girls vulnerable and placing Sierra Leone in violation of regional and international commitments, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Maputo Protocol, and the UN Sustainable Development Goal 5.3. Alongside Liberia, Sierra Leone remains one of only two ECOWAS countries without a statutory ban on FGM—a troubling reality made more glaring by Sierra Leone’s role as ECOWAS Chair in 2025.
On July 8, 2025, the ECOWAS Court of Justice delivered a landmark ruling declaring that Sierra Leone’s failure to criminalise FGM violates its human rights obligations.
The court described FGM as “one of the worst forms of violence against women” and ruled that it constitutes torture when intentionally inflicted. This judgment offers a critical opportunity for the government to act decisively.
The story remains the same; my wife nearly lost her life at the age of ten during the process. Now, my wife and I are under pressure to subject our eight-year-old to this despicable act.
FGM remains widespread. The 2019 Demographic and Health Survey found that 83% of women and girls aged 15–49 have undergone FGM, while 71% of girls under 15 have already been cut. Prevalence is highest in rural areas and among women with no formal education, underscoring the links between harmful practices, poverty, and gender inequality. Despite the health risks, fewer than 20% of affected women seek medical care due to stigma, fear, and cost.
The Bondo Society is often defended as a marker of identity, womanhood, and social acceptance. However, no tradition should come at the cost of a child’s life or bodily integrity. Culture must evolve when it causes harm.
Sierra Leone now stands at a defining moment. The government must move beyond political caution and enact a clear and comprehensive ban on FGM, backed by enforcement, community education, and support for survivors. Ending FGM is not an attack on culture—it is a commitment to protecting the lives, dignity, and rights of girls and women.
The SLPP government of President Bio should be bold enough to act now and stop playing games while young girls are losing their lives every day because of a stupid culture called Bondo.