In December 2023, RFLD wrote an open letter to the governments of Mali, Sierra Leone and Liberia asking them to pass laws that define and criminalise female genital mutilation (FGM) [1]. In January 2024, after girls died following a cutting ceremony in Kambia District, we wrote directly to President Julius Maada Bio [2]. Almost three years later, the answer is still no law in either country. In Sierra Leone, 83% of women aged 15 to 49 have been cut, and 61% of girls aged 15 to 19 [3][4]. In July 2025 the ECOWAS Court of Justice ruled that Sierra Leone’s failure to ban FGM violates women’s rights and that FGM can amount to torture [5]. Three months later the president signed a new Child Rights Act that does not name FGM [6]. In Liberia, a bill to ban FGM has been stuck in the House of Representatives since late 2025, and the temporary ban on Sande bush schools has expired [7].
Content note: this article describes the deaths of girls and young women after genital cutting.
Why we are coming back to these two countries
Sierra Leone and Liberia are neighbours with shared cultures. In both, FGM is linked to women’s secret societies: Bondo in Sierra Leone and Sande in Liberia. Girls are taken to a “bush”, a closed space in the forest, for initiation. Cutting is often part of it, though not always. The secrecy makes it hard to know how many girls are harmed or die.
Both countries have ratified the Maputo Protocol. Article 5 of the Protocol requires states to prohibit, through legislative measures backed by sanctions, all forms of FGM. Sierra Leone ratified in 2015 [2]. Yet both remain among the few West African states with no specific law against the practice [7].
Our letters made simple asks: a clear law, enforcement, support for survivors, and community work on alternative rites of passage [1][2]. This article checks what happened next.
The numbers
Sierra Leone. The 2019 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) found that 83% of women aged 15 to 49 had been cut, down from 89.6% in 2013 [3]. Among girls aged 15 to 19, the rate was 61% [4]. Prevalence is higher in rural areas (88.7%) than in towns (76.4%). It ranges from 98% in Karene District to 65% in Bo. Almost half of cut women (45%) were cut between ages 10 and 14. And 57% of women said the practice should continue [3].
Liberia. Figures vary widely depending on the source, and this is itself a problem. Equality Now, citing World Bank data, gives 31.8% for women aged 15 to 49 as of 2020 [8]. The Liberian Observer, citing WHO, gives about 38% [9]. The UN in Liberia has said more than 50% [10]. The UN in Liberia notes that FGM is practised in 11 of Liberia’s 15 counties, mainly in rural areas, and it particularly affects girls aged 5 to 14 [10].
| Indicator | Sierra Leone | Liberia |
|---|---|---|
| Women 15–49 who have been cut | 83% (DHS 2019) [3] | 31.8% to over 50%, sources differ [8][9][10] |
| Girls 15–19 who have been cut | 61% (DHS 2019) [4] | Not found in sources opened |
| Specific law banning FGM | No [4][6] | No [7] |
| Main temporary measures | Ebola-era ban, 2014 (lapsed) [3] | Executive Order 92 (2018–2019); traditional moratoria 2019, 2022, 2023 [29][32][35] |
Sierra Leone: cases and events, 2021 to 2026
This list is based on press and NGO reports. It is partial. Because Bondo is secret, many deaths are never reported.
2021
- 20 December 2021, Nyandehun village, Imperri Chiefdom, Bonthe District. Maseray Sei, 21, was found dead in a Bondo bush after reportedly bleeding during initiation. Four Soweis (senior Bondo officials) and an acting section chief were “helping police with investigations”, and a post-mortem was ordered [11]. No conviction has been reported. An Orchid Project review cited by the EU asylum agency says an arrest was made but charges were dropped [12].
2022
- Late August 2022. A 16-year-old girl died after being cut during Bondo initiation. Frontline Women’s Fund said it would pursue her case. No arrests were reported [13].
2023
- 9 March 2023, Crossing village, Waterloo. Police found the body of a two-year-old girl who had allegedly undergone Bondo initiation. Soweis were arrested for trying to bury her secretly, and the village headman was held as an alleged ringleader [14].
- 2023, ECOWAS Court. The Forum Against Harmful Practices (FAHP), Purposeful and survivor Kadijatu Balaima Allieu filed a case against Sierra Leone at the ECOWAS Court of Justice [15].
- December 2023. RFLD published its open letter to Mali, Sierra Leone and Liberia [1].
2024
- January 2024, Tonko Limba Chiefdom, Kambia District. A 13-year-old girl from Kabailor village died, reportedly of heavy bleeding, after being cut with other girls. Police stopped an attempt to bury her secretly in the bush. The Sowei, the girl’s mother and her grandmother were taken into custody [16][17]. Reports differ on timing: one says a police report was filed on 2 January [16], another that the cutting took place on 14 January [17].
- January 2024, Bubuya village, Kambia District. A 17-year-old student died after being cut. Her sister said she died on the way to hospital. Police ordered her body exhumed for a post-mortem [16][18]. One report gives her age as 7 in one place and 17 in another [17]; most sources say 17.
- January 2024, north-west Sierra Leone. A third girl, aged 12, also died after initiation, according to local reports. Parents and cutters were in police custody [19].
- 31 January 2024. RFLD published its call to action to President Bio [2]. The Gender Minister said a Child Rights Act amendment banning cutting for under-18s should be tabled that year [18].
- August 2024, Kambia. The Magistrate Court committed the cases of the 13- and 17-year-old to the High Court for trial. The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL) reports they are still pending [4].
- 25 October 2024. The African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) sent Sierra Leone an urgent appeal: keep the clause in the Child Rights bill that expressly bans FGM [20].
2025
- July 2025. Parliament passed the new Child Rights Act. Days later, Parliament issued a statement that the Act contains no penalty “specifically addressing female genital mutilation” [15]. The FGM clause was removed during debate, and the Act only bans practices “injurious” to a child [4][15]. The HRCSL asked the president not to sign it [21].
- 8 July 2025. The ECOWAS Court ruled in Forum Against Harmful Practices and Others v. Republic of Sierra Leone. It held that intentional FGM meets the threshold for torture. It ordered Sierra Leone to adopt legislation prohibiting FGM, to investigate and prosecute those who cut Ms Allieu, and to pay her US$30,000 [5]. She had been cut by force on 16 September 2016 in Kondebutehun, Kenema District, as punishment in a dispute, and then fled to Liberia for three years [22].
- 14 October 2025. The Solicitor General announced that the president had signed the Act without changes [6]. Sources call it the Child Rights Act 2024 or 2025.
- 2 December 2025, Port Loko. During the 16 Days of Activism, a former Sowei said she had stopped cutting. Activist Rugiatu Neneh Turay said five girls had “recently” died after initiation in Kambia; no dates were given [23].
- December 2025. UNICEF welcomed the Act but called the lack of an explicit FGM ban “troubling” [24].
- December 2025, Port Loko District. A guardian alleged her children were forced into Bondo and Poro initiation. A young girl died in early December after a “short illness”. The cause has not been confirmed [25].
2026
- 6 February 2026, Freetown. Amnesty International Sierra Leone, AMNET and the Children’s Forum Network demanded immediate criminalisation and compliance with the ECOWAS ruling [26]. Ms Allieu had not been paid. She has started a private prosecution against the woman she says cut her [27].
- Around 8 July 2026. One year after the ruling, survivor leaders and feminist activists wrote to the president, who also chairs ECOWAS. They noted no response to the judgment [28].
Liberia: cases and events, 2018 to 2026
Background: 2018 and 2019
- 19 January 2018. On her last day in office, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf issued Executive Order 92, banning FGM on girls under 18 for one year. It expired on 18 January 2019 and was not renewed [29].
- July 2019. A joint committee dropped FGM from the domestic violence bill, promising a “standalone bill” [30]. The Domestic Violence Act passed without it [31]. The 2019 Ganta Declaration suspended Sande activities for one year; it lapsed in June 2020 [32].
2021
- We found no documented legislative action or reported case for 2021 in the sources we opened. This reflects a gap in reporting, not proof that nothing happened.
2022
- 4 to 21 February 2022. The National Council of Chiefs and Elders (NACCEL), led by Chief Zanzan Karwor, announced a three-year suspension of FGM. 150 traditional leaders from the 11 practising counties signed a policy statement with two ministries [32][8].
- March 2022, Weala, Margibi County. Sande members protested against the suspension and blocked traffic [33].
- 15 September 2022, Margibi County. An 11-year-old girl was seized while selling goods, forcibly initiated and cut, allegedly on the orders of a local zoe. She was rescued on 3 October and treated for bleeding with risk of fistula. Civil society demanded justice; no prosecution was reported [34].
2023
- 6 February 2023. Chief Karwor declared “FGM is banned in Liberia”, with the authorisation of 15 paramount chiefs [35].
- August to October 2023. Zoes held ceremonies to close bush schools in Grand Cape Mount and Bong counties, supported by UN Women and Sweden [36].
2024
- September 2024. The National Coalition Against Harmful Practices warned of a “widespread resurgence” of FGM [37].
2025
- February 2025. The three-year moratorium expired [37]. The Gender Minister warned of a resurgence [10].
- April 2025. The government temporarily prohibited bush schools until January 2026 [38]. Two traditional leaders were suspended for breaking the ban, and were later reinstated [39].
- September 2025. At the UN General Assembly, President Joseph Boakai pledged a permanent ban [38].
- October 2025. The president sent the bill to the Legislature, later renamed the Women and Girls Protection Act of 2025. A two-day expert review followed [40][41].
- 18 November 2025. Some lawmakers disrupted debate, chanting “No gay bill, no FGM bill”. A motion sent the bill to all 73 electoral districts for consultation [41]. Some representatives said openly they would vote against it [42].
2026
- January to March 2026. The “Born Perfect” bus tour reached more than 3,000 people and 100 traditional and religious leaders, and ended at the Legislature [43]. In March, UN Women urged “no compromise” on the bill [31].
- July 2026. The Internal Affairs Minister announced plans to lift the ban on Sande practices from 15 August 2026, after new regulations [39].
- October 2026. The bush school ban has expired, and the bill remains stalled in the House [7].
What the law says, and the gaps
Sierra Leone. No law names FGM as a crime. The new Child Rights Act removed the explicit clause and uses broad language about harmful practices. The HRCSL calls this a gap [4]. The ECOWAS Court said general laws cannot replace an explicit ban [5]. The judgment is binding, but more than a year later the state has not complied [27][28]. The Kambia death cases are still pending [4].
Liberia. Liberia has relied on executive orders and traditional moratoria. Each one expired. They depended on the goodwill of chiefs, carried weak sanctions, and were barely publicised [8][29]. The bill is the first serious attempt at a permanent law, but it is stalled. There is also a risk: in Sierra Leone, a ban limited to under-18s was debated [18], and in Liberia some groups have proposed limiting initiation to consenting adults over 18 [34]. UN Women has stressed that FGM is harmful at any age [31].
Both countries are failing their duties under Article 5 of the Maputo Protocol and Article 21 of the African Children’s Charter [4].
What RFLD asks for
- Sierra Leone: comply with the ECOWAS judgment now. Table an amendment that names and criminalises FGM, for all ages, with penalties for cutters and those who arrange cutting.
- Pay Kadijatu Balaima Allieu the US$30,000 ordered by the Court, and investigate and prosecute those who cut her.
- Bring the Kambia cases to trial without further delay, and investigate every reported death in a Bondo or Sande bush.
- Liberia: pass the Women and Girls Protection Act without weakening it, and do not lift restrictions on cutting in the meantime.
- Fund alternative livelihoods for practitioners and support “initiation without mutilation”, led by communities.
- Protect activists, journalists and survivors who face threats for speaking out.
- Publish data. Record FGM-related deaths and prosecutions, and report on them to the ACERWC, CEDAW and the African Commission.
RFLD tools you can use today
- Ending FGM in West Africa and the Ending FGM video series, for community talks.
- Country law pages: Sierra Leone and Liberia.
- Decisions and enforcement: when courts rule on women’s rights in Africa, to follow up on the ECOWAS judgment.
- Maputo Barometer 2026 and the Maputo Protocol Training Manual.
- West Africa legislative platform and Legal Framework for the Rights of Women and Girls in West Africa (2023).
- CEDAW and UPR review calendar, to plan shadow reports.
- Women in Leadership Tracker: Sierra Leone and Liberia, to find the women legislators to engage.
- Survivor Support Toolkit and Get Support.
- RFLD Academy, including the free course Advocacy Theory and Practice.
Closing
The women of Sierra Leone and Liberia have done their part. Survivors went to court and won. Zoes and Soweis have put down their blades. Women legislators, lawyers and grassroots groups have travelled county by county. What is missing is political will at the top. RFLD respects culture, and culture can change: initiation can continue without cutting. But no tradition justifies the death of a 13-year-old girl. A court has spoken, the Maputo Protocol is clear, and girls cannot wait for another moratorium to expire. We will keep counting, keep asking, and keep standing with those who lead this fight.
References
- RFLD, “An Open Letter to the Governments of Mali, Sierra Leone and Liberia: A Time for Action, Protect Our Girls, End Female Genital Mutilation”, December 2023. rflgd.org
- RFLD, “RFLD call to action for H.E. President Julius Maada Bio: Protect women and girls from FGM by honoring Sierra Leone’s international and regional commitments”, 31 January 2024. rflgd.org
- FGM/C Research Initiative, “Sierra Leone: Key Findings” (DHS 2019 data), accessed October 2026. fgmcri.org
- Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone, “Alternative Report to the ACERWC” (period 2021–2025), 2026. acerwc.africa
- IHRDA, “Press release: FAHP & Ors v Sierra Leone”, 24 July 2025. ihrda.org
- Sierraeye, “A Grave Disappointment – Sierra Leone’s Child Rights Act Is a Hollow Victory for Girls”, 15 October 2025. sierraeyemagazine.com
- Women Voices Newspaper, “‘Liberian Girls Still Vulnerable'”, 12 October 2026. womenvoicesnewspaper.org
- Equality Now, “Liberian government bans FGM for three years: what’s the next big step?”, 31 March 2022. equalitynow.org
- Liberian Observer, “Coalition Pushes for Permanent Ban on FGM”, February 2026. liberianobserver.com
- United Nations in Liberia, “Liberia Marks International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation”, February 2025. liberia.un.org
- Premier News, “FGM: Woman dies after being cut”, 10 January 2022. premiermedia-sl.com
- EUAA / Refugee Documentation Centre (Ireland), “Sierra Leone: Bondo and Poro Society”, May 2025. coi.euaa.europa.eu
- Frontline Women’s Fund, “Another girl dies from FGM in Sierra Leone”, 10 September 2022. frontlinewomensfund.org
- Awoko Newspaper, “Two-year-old girl child dies in Bondo bush”, March 2023. awokonewspapersl.com
- Josephine Kamara (Purposeful), “FGM and the ongoing failure of the Child Rights Act Bill”, Awoko Newspaper, 2025. awokonewspapersl.com
- Frontline Ending FGM, “2 Dead in Bondo Bushes”, 16 January 2024. frontlineendingfgm.org
- AYV News, “2 girls dead, 7 trapped in Bondo bush, Soweis abscond”, 23 January 2024. ayvnews.com
- CNN As Equals (reprinted by ICMGLT), “FGM in Sierra Leone: Girls dying silently in a society afraid to change Bondo”, 6 February 2024. icmglt.org
- Premier News, “Three girls die after FGM rituals”, 6 February 2024. premiermedia-sl.com
- ACERWC, “Press Statement: Letter of Urgent Appeal to the Government of Sierra Leone”, 25 October 2024. acerwc.africa
- Premier News, “FGM Not Criminalized: HRCSL Urges President to Reject Child Rights Bill”, 7 July 2025. premiermedia-sl.com
- Premier News, “Nine Years On, FGM Survivor Still Awaits Justice Despite ECOWAS Court Ruling”, September 2025. premiermedia-sl.com
- Awoko Newspaper, “Traditional Sierra Leone Practitioners Pivot to ‘Bloodless’ Rites in Landmark Shift”, 2 December 2025. awokonewspapersl.com
- Premier News, “UNICEF Urges Explicit Ban on FGM”, December 2025. premiermedia-sl.com
- Awoko Newspaper, “Port Loko Guardian Alleges Forced Secret Society Rites After Child’s Death”, 12 March 2026. awokonewspapersl.com
- Premier News, “Rights Groups Demand Urgent Ban on FGM”, February 2026. premiermedia-sl.com
- Migrant Women Press, “FGM survivor calls on ‘diaspora women’ after historic court ruling to ban the practice in Sierra Leone”, 6 February 2026. migrantwomenpress.com
- FGM Survivor Leaders and Feminist Activists of Sierra Leone, “History Will Ask What You Did” (open letter), Awoko Newspaper, July 2026. awokonewspapersl.com
- Africanews, “Equality Now tasks Liberia on FGM measures after Sirleaf’s ban expires”, 31 January 2019. africanews.com
- FrontPage Africa, “Liberia: Domestic Violence Bill Suffers Setback as Lawmakers Request More Time for Perusal”, 3 July 2019. frontpageafricaonline.com
- Evelyn Kapdeh Seagbeh, “UN Women Urges Swift Passage of Anti-FGM Law As Liberia Faces Critical Test On Women’s Rights”, The Liberian Investigator via AllAfrica, 23 March 2026. allafrica.com
- United Nations in Liberia, press release on NACCEL’s three-year suspension of FGM, 22 February 2022. liberia.un.org
- The New Dawn, “WEDOL condemns Sande protest in Weala”, 23 March 2022. thenewdawnliberia.com
- Liberian Observer, “Liberia: Rights Group Demands Justice for FGM Survivor”, October 2022. liberianobserver.com
- Equality Now, “Traditional leaders in Liberia make historic announcement declaring ban on female genital mutilation”, 9 February 2023. equalitynow.org
- In Profile Daily, “Liberia: Traditional Zoes Officially Close Bush Schools To Respect Ban On FGM”, 25 October 2023. inprofiledailynews.com
- Dounard Bondo, “It is time Liberia enacts legislation banning FGM”, Al Jazeera, 14 April 2025. aljazeera.com
- Tina Mehnpaine, “Liberia FGM ban: Sande bush schools”, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 September 2025. csmonitor.com
- Tina S. Mehnpaine, “Liberia to Lift Ban on FGM”, Liberian Observer via AllAfrica, 20 July 2026. allafrica.com
- ActionAid Liberia, “Liberia’s journey to ban FGM: ActionAid Liberia, experts and Liberian legislators hold consultative to review draft FGM bill”, 31 October 2025. liberia.actionaid.org
- Julius Konton, “Women’s Rights vs. Political Resistance: Inside Liberia’s Stalled Anti-FGM Bill”, The Liberian Investigator, 26 January 2026. liberianinvestigator.com
- Tina S. Mehnpaine, “Liberia Moves to Outlaw FGM, but Can Cultural Practitioners Let Go?”, Liberian Observer via AllAfrica, 25 November 2025. allafrica.com
- UN Women, “Inside Liberia’s campaign to end female genital mutilation (FGM)”, 10 August 2026. unwomen.org
