No Power in FGM Pain: An Open Policy Reminder To The Government Of The Republic Of Liberia!

Hellen Siah-Sayan Momoh, Founder, Books Before Boys Initiative

By Hellen Momoh

I woke up this morning to the very sad spectacle of school-going girls being impounded in a very congested area, under the banner of being in the Sande bush. I couldn’t hold back but agonized and later shed tears not only because those kids should be preparing to go to school, but this tendency of sending young girls to the ‘’society bush’’ is a huge drawback to our fight against gender disparity, inequality, and the scourge of violence which undermines the future of our young girls and women.
Growing up, I was taught about the importance and decency of the Sande Society and its attendant benefits. As we were told, it is a traditional school where young girls go to learn values, discipline, culture, and responsibilities to function decently in our society. This school, to its credit, produces women in our towns and villages who also instil discipline in their kids and help our society to not slip off its moral moorings. To a greater extent, the school has been a force for good; to all so an outrageous extent, it has some huge pitfalls.
It has also brought to the surface a cultural problem- if care is not taken- would escalate into a full-blown crisis and frustrate our effort at ending the gender gap, developing and empowering our young girls to become self-reliant, in participating in the affairs of the country and for their own progress.
First, the problem of congesting girls in the Sande society for a protracted period which would then prevent them from going to school to acquire education, is in itself a serious issue which must demand the condemnation and concern of every patriotic Liberian; second, the practice of female genital mutilation is as far the most egregious poison which all of us must join in one accord and stop. Or else it will arrest the future of our young girls while increasing the burden on the health sector of our Economy. Looking at the neurobiological and medical implications as well, we cannot further stress but plead to our traditional elders and leaders to make this practice a CHOICE!
Here, the risk is women and girls in our country are already the most marginalized and deprived, whether at the workplace where they are at the bottom level of the pay scale, in society where they are preyed on by male savages who regard them as playthings that must be exploited, or at the levels of the state and governance where they are denied equal participation and rights. With these challenges that we at the forefront of women empowerment movements continue to grapple with, our sigh of relief is premised on the idea that if we educate more young women we stand a better chance to nip in the bud all of these scourges that continue to plunge women into the sewer pit of poverty, mystery, and disease.
Female Genital Mutilation is the most scandalous crime perpetuated on the body of the girl child or a woman. In my book, it carries the same weight as a crime against humanity. Not only that medical practitioners and social workers have been unanimous in their disapproval and condemnation of the cruel act, it is a total break on the future of parity and equality we envision for women and girls in our society. What even sickens me to the marrows of my bone concerning this practice, is it is unsafe, unhygienic, and the dastard way it is carry out. Besides, the medical complications that it unleashes on the woman or girl child all the more makes this grisly butchery a practice which is totally evil.
Broadly, there is also massive limitations of this cultural practice. What we have noticed is it teaches the girl or woman to become loyal wives. Loyal, in this case is in the inverted sense, of being subservient to their husbands, thus tolerating every humiliation and oppression. In a critical dissection, this also is one of the origins for the systemic oppression and humiliation of women. Nothing is wrong with teaching morals, values and disciplines to women, but when they are caged in to become loyal housewives as opposed to brilliant medical doctors, lawyers, scientists, social workers, public health practitioners, activists, etc. then we are invariably saying the place of women is at the lowest rungs of our society.
One is not condemning the overall tradition of our country or its culture superstructure that is a major characteristics of its identity which is the source of the uniqueness of the society. Equally, however, one is saying there can be Sande Society for our girls not doing the period of school, which can also be void of Female Genital Mutilation. This preserves our culture, but cuts the Gordian knot of female genital mutilation which gives a negative outlook to our cultural and traditional practices. In addition, in such school the girls are not only taught about being loyal housewives but also are given lessons on basic rights and how they can be equally useful in all aspects of society and national life.
Suffice to point out we are not calling for the abolition of the cultural practice of the Sande Society. Ours is a call for reform which reflects the reality of the girl child and abolishes practices that are hazardous and give the tradition a bad imagery. Such reform could also entail teaching them their basic rights and widening their imaginations about how endowed they are and the contributions they can make for the advancement of their country. In all fairness, reform which tend to make the traditional practice refined, humane, and accountable must be encouraged by all and sundry.
In spite of the fact that Liberia has had the envious distinction of producing a female president and women at cabinet levels, women in the country are still challenged by the vices of sexual and gender-based violence, rape, among others, which continue to frustrate their efforts. In the workplace, they are sexually harassed. In the school, some male instructors traffic in sex for grades. And with the overarching problem of FGM, it is not yet uhuru (freedom) for our women and girls!

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