Government of Liberia & Partners Launch Anti-SGBV Call Center; National Council of Chiefs and Elders Announce 3-year Moratorium on FGM

The announcement was made at a tripartite event hosted by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social protection (MOGCSP) and graced by the Vice President of Liberia, Chief Dr Jewel Howard Taylor, Niels Scott, UN Resident Coordinator for Liberia, Ambassadors of the European, Ireland and Sweden as well as Ministers of Justice; Education; and Labour; representative of civil society organisations, among others. The Anti-SGBV National Call Center was also launched by the Vice President at the event.

Chief Zanzan Kawor, presented a 6 Count Policy statement to the Minister of Gender, Children and Social, Hon. Williametta Saydee Tarr, who in turn presented the policy statement to the Vice President, Chief Dr Jewel Howard Taylor. The statement was signed by 150 traditional leaders from 11 FGM practicing counties in Liberia, Ministry of Internal Affairs and MGCSP to signal their approval to suspend Female Genital Mutilation(FGM)  in Liberia for three years with immediate effect.

The three-year suspension on FGM follows a one-year ban which was imposed in 2019 through the Ganta Declaration when traditional leaders signed a 7 Count Policy Statement for the temporary suspension of Sande Activities for a period of one year on 25 June 2019. However, this ban came to an end in June 2020 and there was no legal provision to stop the practice.

The suspension of FGM is in line with the objectives of the European Union, United Nations and Government of Liberia Spotlight Initiative to eliminate violence against women and girls including harmful practices such as FGM.

The Resident Coordinator of the UN in Liberia, Niels Scott, used the opportunity the urge the media to continue the coverage of SGBV issues and help ensure that “perpetrators know that they have nowhere to hide”. Mr. Scott noted that the UN has over the years absolutely clear about its stance against all forms of SGBV. He concluded by saying that the various number of measures being undertaken by government to combat SBGV, required a contract between all stakeholders, in order to ensure that these measures work.