Africa-Press – Liberia. Sandra T. Kanswen, (CRI-L’ advocacy officer said Liberia remains one of only three West African countries where FGM is still not outlawed, despite its devastating effects on women and girls.
The Child Resource Institute-Liberia (CRI-L) has launched the second phase of its campaign to end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the country.
The launch is part of renewed calls for the passage of a law to permanently criminalize the practice nationwide.
Speaking at the official launch of the “END FGM-2,” Project in Monrovia, the Organization’s Advocacy Officer, Sandra T. Kanswen, said Liberia remains one of only three West African countries where FGM is still not outlawed, despite its devastating effects on women and girls.
“The temporary ban declared in 2023 by the Council of Chiefs and Elders was a positive step, but it is not enough. We continue to see young girls being cut. Liberia needs a permanent legal solution — the passage of the synchronized Anti-FGM Bill by the Legislature,” said Kanswen.
She explained that the second phase of the END-FGM initiative seeks to build stronger collaboration among policymakers, traditional and religious leaders, and local communities to permanently eliminate the harmful practice by December 2027.
The project, according to Kanswen, will focus on four key counties, namely; Montserrado, Bomi, Nimba, and Grand Bassa with activities including legislative advocacy, community engagement, and media awareness.
“Our goal is simple but powerful — to end FGM in Liberia beyond the temporary ban and make it fully illegal,” she emphasized. We want to see perpetrators held accountable, and women and girls living free from the threat of being cut.”
Kanswen also urged journalists to keep the issue in the national spotlight by telling stories of survivors, celebrating communities abandoning FGM, and holding leaders accountable.
“The END-FGM movement is not against culture, it’s about protecting life and dignity. Our culture can evolve to celebrate womanhood without harm.”
Also speaking at the launch, Victor P. Howard, Executive Director of CRI-L, said the second phase of the project builds on gains from the first campaign but comes at a critical time when reports indicate FGM is still being practiced across several counties.
“Despite the temporary ban by traditional leaders, evidence shows that FGM continues on a large scale,” Howard revealed. “In Lofa County alone, over 500 women and girls were reportedly subjected to FGM recently.”
He said CRI-Liberia is now working closely with the Office of the President and the House Committee on Gender to formally endorse and reintroduce the draft Anti-FGM Bill before the Legislature.
“We are calling on every Liberian girl and woman to join us in the fight to end harmful cultural practices,” he said. “This is not just a women’s issue; it’s a national issue of health, human rights, and justice.”
Like Madam Kanswen, Howard emphasized that the END-FGM Liberia Phase II Project aims to transform advocacy into tangible results by supporting legislation, empowering communities, and promoting cultural alternatives that uphold women’s rights.
The project will run for two years and seeks to achieve a complete ban on FGM across all 15 counties, increased public awareness, and stronger enforcement of anti-FGM measures.
For his part, the Chairperson of the Board, Mr. Nelson Nukolo, described the project as a movement “born out of love for Liberia’s daughters, sisters, and every girl who deserves to grow up safe, healthy, and free.”
“Silence has allowed harmful traditional practices to continue. Through dialogue, awareness, and empowerment, we can break the cycle and build a future where no girl is ever cut again,” Board Chair Nukolo told the gathering.
He indicated that the campaign also seeks to raise public awareness, strengthen community engagement, and encourage national legislation to permanently outlaw the practice.
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