The Children’s Forum Network with support from Advocacy Movement Network (AMNet) has engaged the five main Political Parties in the country to include the eradication of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in their manifesto as this is an elections year.
This was done on the 6th and 7th of February in order to mark the ‘International Zero Tolerance Day on FGM’ which was on February 6th.
Speaking to Awoko Newspaper, the Child Protection Officer at the Advocacy Movement Network (AMNet) Brima Conteh said the United Nations Sub-Commission on Human Rights has declared February 6 as International zero tolerance Day on FGM and over the years, countries in the world over have been observing this day including Sierra Leone.
He said this time around, since the day coincides with the country’s elections year, that is why they decided to target political parties.
He said they have been reading newspaper reports wherein political parties go to the provinces make pledges to pay the initiation cost for children into some of these harmful traditional societies in return for votes.
“This is an abuse of the right of the child,” he said.
Conteh lamented that they are engaging the All People’s Congress Party (APC), Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), People’s Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC), National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and United Democratic Movement (UDM) so that the bad ways of campaigning will come to an end.
He said they are calling on these parties to come up with their voice of commitment by including the eradication of FGM in their manifesto, or at least omitting children below the age of 18 years to be initiated.
Arnolda Maxwell from the Children’s Forum Network (CFN) at the PMDC Party office, called on political parties to pay attention to education rather than female circumcision. She cited some of the negative effects of FGM.
“We want political parties to promise parents to educate their girl child, instead of paying the bills for female circumcision,” she said.
Rebecca Pratt from CFN said that FGM has a lot of implications, adding that some areas do initiate children at age three years (3yrs) and some die during the process.
The Secretary General for the People’s Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC) Mr. Aiah Erick Jabber, said that PMDC is a party that kicks against violence, adding that FGM is an issue of violence, so his party cannot support such practice for children below the age of consent.
He said there are health implications to such practice, noting that the practice is not religious.
“PMDC is not in support of FGM below the age of eighteen years (18yrs), we will surely include it in our manifesto,” he said.
The National Secretary General for National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Mohamed S. Jalloh also pledged his party’s support in protecting children from all forms of discrimination and cruelty.
By Emmanuella Kallon