By Ellen Samura
In response to the tragic deaths of three underage girls who underwent female genital mutilation (FGM) in January, the government of Sierra Leone said it has initiated a review process of the 2007 Child Rights Act. The aim is to strengthen legal restrictions on harmful traditional practices that affect children, including prohibitions on female genital mutilation, child marriage, and cruelty.
The Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs initially announced the commencement of the review in a press release dated February 29th. The importance of addressing these harmful practices was further emphasised by the Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernoh Bah, during the signing of terms of reference by the Tripartite Committee on electoral reforms.
According to the ministry’s press release, the three deaths were reported in Kambia and Port Loko districts. The release went further to state that as a result of these deaths, the government has launched a full-scale investigation to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.
However, due to the lack of explicit provisions in law that criminalise the practice of FGM, and granted that a number of FGM related deaths over the years had gone unpunished, it remains unclear whether the individuals (soweis) arrested in connection to these reccent deaths can be successfully prosecuted.
The ministry expressed heartfelt sympathy for the bereaved families and pledged to work closely with law enforcement authorities to ensure the safety and protection of children. The ministry said they would intensify collaboration with law enforcement authorities to prevent the recurrence of these tragic incidents.
The ministry reassured that the government remains fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the rights of children in line with the principles outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and other relevant instruments aimed at protecting children’s health, social well-being, and economic prosperity.
