Published: January 19, 2026
MONROVIA — David Arbar Sewarlu, an educator, civil rights advocate and founder of Global Image Liberia, is renewing calls for decisive legislative action against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), warning that years of delay by the Liberian Legislature continue to leave women and girls without adequate legal protection.
Sewarlu raised the concern amid continued public debate over a proposed Anti-Female Genital Mutilation Bill, drafted and submitted to the Legislature in 2022 but still not passed into law. He said the prolonged delay has weakened enforcement and left communities without a clear legal framework to prevent and punish the practice.
Sewarlu Calls Out Legislative Inaction
Sewarlu described the Legislature’s slow pace as harmful, particularly for girls in rural areas where enforcement mechanisms remain fragile.
“Liberia has debated this issue for years, yet women and girls are still waiting for the protection that only a clear and enforceable law can provide,” Sewarlu said.
He argued that temporary measures cannot replace legislation, especially where accountability depends on legal certainty.
“Moratoriums and proclamations are not laws. Without legislation, enforcement remains weak and inconsistent, especially in rural communities,” he added.
Temporary Measures, Persistent Gaps
In the absence of a permanent statute, the government in 2022 declared a three-year moratorium on FGM. The following year, the National Council of Chiefs and Elders (NACCEL) announced a nationwide ban. While those steps were welcomed by advocates, Sewarlu and other campaigners say they do not carry the full weight of criminal law and remain difficult to enforce across several counties.
Momentum returned to the Legislature in October 2025, when President Joseph Nyuma Boakai submitted the Women and Girls Protection Act to the House of Representatives. The bill proposes prohibiting harmful traditional practices, including FGM, while establishing mechanisms for prevention, enforcement and victim protection.
Sewarlu said Liberia’s continued delay risks undermining its international obligations under major human rights instruments.
“Liberia is a signatory to treaties like the Maputo Protocol, CEDAW, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. These commitments require action, not hesitation,” he said.
Health Risks, Human Rights and Cultural Resistance
Advocates say the case for a permanent anti-FGM law is urgent, citing lifelong medical complications linked to the practice. FGM is reported to affect girls — particularly those between ages five and 14 — in at least 11 of Liberia’s 15 counties, with campaigners warning that it remains deeply rooted in some communities.
Efforts to end the practice, especially where it is tied to the Sande Society, have faced resistance. Advocacy groups have reported intimidation and threats from individuals described as traditionalists who view the practice as sacred and beyond public criticism.
Sewarlu acknowledged the sensitivity surrounding cultural practices but said human rights must prevail.
“Culture should never be used to justify harm. Protecting girls from violence is not an attack on tradition; it is a defense of life and dignity,” he said.
Public Debate and Political Pressure
The national conversation has sharpened in recent weeks, fueled in part by comments from former Miss Liberia Wokie Dolo, who used social media to call for the abolition of FGM and other harmful practices. Her posts drew both support and backlash, underscoring the deep divisions surrounding the issue.
Advocacy groups, including He For She Crusaders, have accused some lawmakers of quietly supporting the continuation of the practice for political reasons. The groups claim concerns about re-election and fear of losing backing from traditional communities have made some legislators reluctant to openly support an outright ban.
In a related development, the National Association of Kpelle and Kpelle-Speaking People petitioned the House of Representatives to reject the President’s bill, arguing that banning FGM within the Sande Society would threaten cultural heritage.
Threats to Advocates, Signs of Progress
Sewarlu also recalled threats faced by campaigners, including whistleblower Oumaru D. Jabateh, who reportedly fled Liberia in December 2023 after alleging death threats from traditionalists in Bong County.
“When advocates are threatened for speaking out, it shows how urgent it is for the state to act decisively,” Sewarlu said.
Despite resistance, Sewarlu pointed to signs of progress. Traditional leaders in counties including Nimba, Bong, Lofa, Montserrado, and Grand Cape Mount have publicly renounced the practice and surrendered cutting tools as a symbolic commitment to abandonment. However, advocates say reports persist that FGM continues secretly in parts of the country, including areas of Lofa County.
Renewed Call for Action
With the Anti-Female Genital Mutilation Bill still pending, Sewarlu urged lawmakers in both chambers to move beyond extended debate and enact a clear and enforceable law that permanently criminalizes the practice.
“Every delay puts more girls at risk. Liberia must choose protection over politics and pass a law that permanently ends Female Genital Mutilation,” he said.
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