By: Sahr J. Bangah✍️
As part of its strides to constructively engaged communities in Bombali and Karena district about the danger behind harmful traditional practiced to children below the age of eighteen, Women Action for Human Dignity (WAHD) with support from Amplify Change has embarked on massive sensitization in twenty community with the aim of minimizing the rampant Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) initiation with these respective communities.
Explaining the background of the the project, Madam Ramatu A.Fornah, WAHD National Coordinator said that Women Action for Human Dignity (WAHD) acknowledge the role of men in the fight against Female Genital Mutilation due to the fact that men are champion in decision making and in most cases they have control of the resources at their respective communities.
She concluded that the project will continue to create an enable platform wherein communities’ members we interface and interact to mapped out the project goals.
She concluded that the project will help persuade communities to get involved during and after the project, noting out that the project is a six months project which started in September 2018 and expected to end in March 2018.
She revealed that the Bondo society is not girls, pointing out that it has high risk factor on the initiates and even to the parent ranging from physical and mental long term complication to break up marriage.
She concluded that Women Action for Human Dignity (WAHD) will closely work with teachers and community leaders especially men and women, Sowies, Religious Leaders including school going girls.
On behalf of community members, Zainab Kamara a teacher from Wareh Yeama community school in the Makarie Chiefdom pledged on behalf of her colleague participants to work with Women Action for Human Dignity (WAHD) towards the implementation of the project in the two districts.
She revealed that under age or forceful initiation of girls is the main contributing factor for school drop-out and teenage pregnancy among girls.
She recalled that in most cases girls below the age of eighteen, immediately after initiation concluded that they are have become a woman and later involved in unlawful act, sometimes challenging their parent as if they are now adult an as result drop out of school as a result of untimely pregnancy.
Pa Kapri Kargbo, a ceremonial chief at Magbaimba Ndohahun said the intervention of the project through Women Action for Human Dignity is timely as it will help to reduce the mass rate of school girls in the communities.
He concluded that female genital mutilation against girl below the age of eighteen can only be achieved through massive community sensitization and engagement.
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