By Joseph Tumbey
Afric Daily Newspaper- Montserrado County: Montserrado traditional leaders have finally declared Female Genital Mutilation FGM banned in the County , warn violators with cultural and traditional punishment, and introduces the “kpowah sande Society” that involves initiation without mutilation in order to continue their cultural education among their inheritance.
Their closure followed by the launch of the Alternative Eco Livelihood program to transform the traditional activities into training the traditional female leaders in tie dying, village savings, tailoring with other skills to support them for living.
Speaking at the International Day of Zero Tolerance against Female Genital Mutilation in Songkay Town Monsterrado County, the Montserrado County Female zoe Leader, Madam Massa Kandakai acknowledged the ban of the harmful traditional practices and the closure of sande bushes in the County, but requested the UN, Government and their Partners to give them what the requested for.
“I Massa kandakai say it must be closed and it’s close for good good, I finished agree yaa, but what you get for us, yor do it for us”, the Monsterrado Chief Female Zoe asserted.
Reading the proclamation on behalf of UN, the UN Women Country representatives , Ms. Comfort Lamptey said, FGM is one of the most vicious manifestations of the patriarchy that permeates the world and also serves as an abhorrent violation of fundamental human rights that causes lifelong damage to the physical and mental health of women and girls.
According to her, the act is rooted in the same gender inequalities and complex social norms that limit women’s participation and leadership and restrict their access to education and employment across the globe.
“On the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation, let’s commit to social change and strong partnerships to put to an end female genital mutilation once and for all”, UN Women Country representative Ms. Lamptey asserted.
She however called everyone to collaborate as powerful allies in challenging and ending the scourge, as their team for this year’s call on men and boys everywhere to join them in speaking out and stepping forward to end female genital mutilation, for the benefit of all.
Meanwhile, Reading the statement of progress in FGM activities, the traditional Queen of Liberia , Juli Endee said they have agreed to close and ban the FGM activities and will gradually continue in other Counties if the neccessary measures are put in place.
“We have 11 Counties that are practicing the FGM, for Montserrado we have done our traditional rituals practices for 19 days and nights to speak with our ancestors which allowed us to come to such decisions”, Juli Endee assured the public.
Juli noted that Sande school is one of the oldest traditional institutions across the World but the lack of education have make many people to explain things contrary.
“We have three kinds of Sande Societies, the Mua sande is practice by Muslim, Zoebar sande is practice by the mask and Kpowah sande is a practice involves initiation without mutilation”, she stated.
According to her, they are banning the Mua, and Zoebar but will continue the practice of Kpowah to teach their inheritance their culture as it’s meant to educate patriotism, skills, royalty among others so as they can’t lose the culture.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the National Council of Chief and Elders in Liberia NACCEL , Chief Zanza Kawah noted that they will collaborate with every traditional leader to abolish FGM in the remaining ten Couties if the respect they due as traditional leaders is given to them.
He said, “No one has the authority to bring FGM back, not even those who will come to you telling you to vote for them so they can bring it back”.
Chief Zanza Kawah maintains that they are doing so because they don’t want Liberia to be left behind but for the whole World to help the Country.
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