Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia Rescues Three Young Women, Baby from FGM in Margibi - FrontPageAfrica

Source: Front Page Africa

MARSHALL, Margibi County - The Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL'S) has responded to an SOS call and saved three young women including a baby who were forcefully taken into the Sande Bush to be initiated.

By Rachel Saykaimien, contributing writer

FrontPage Africa gathered that the three women, along with the baby, were taken into the bush by an individual only identified as Willie. The attempted initiation was as a result of an altercation that ensued between Willie's daughter, who is one of the rescued girl's stepmother.

Willie alleged that one of the girls insulted his daughter, which is a taboo in Benda Community in Marshall where the incident occurred, and he called out the head of the Sande Bush in the area, Ma Lusu Kabba to take the girls as a way of punishing them.

Upon hearing this, WONGOSOL, through its Executive Director Madam Esther S. D Yango, with support from the United Nations Trust Fund intervened and rescued the young girls.

Madam Yango was accompanied by Chief Zoe of Margibi County and two other people from the task force tasked to end FGM in Liberia. They immediately moved into the community and released the girls and the baby.

Speaking to Frontpage Africa, Madam Yango said the girls were seven in numbers but some were released earlier due to intervention from WONGOSOL.

"I received a call and I was told that seven girls including minors were taken into the Sande Bush and we had to intervene but we couldn't get all out at once," she said.

The Executive Director of the women group further called on the government to put out measures in ensuring that women are protected from forcefully entering the traditional bush.

She furthered: "Just the other day, three other women were forcefully taken and initiated in the bush and we cannot say we ban the act without putting up measures to curtail it. And this is still happening right before our nose, right in Margibi county. What more about the other counties?

In 2023, the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) was banned by the Government of Liberia through the Traditional Council and other campaigners against harmful FGM practices across Liberia.

Despite efforts being made to stop the harmful practices, several traditional zoes are still engaging in the practices across Liberia.