By Fanta L. Keita
MONROVIA, Sept. 30 (LINA) – Despite Liberia’s commitment to end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and the expiration of the temporary executive ban on ‘traditional bush schools,’ millions of dollars spent by international partners have left the situation regarding a permanent legal framework uncertain.
Liberia’s progress on banning FGM has been sporadic. Although a temporary executive ban was enacted in 2018, it expired before a permanent statutory framework could be established.
Consequently, advocates are intensifying their efforts to secure definitive legislation that explicitly outlaws the practice.
The executive ban officially concluded on August 15, 2026, and new regulatory frameworks are being discussed to govern traditional bush schools.
William Jallah, the Assistant Minister for Culture and Traditional Practices at the Ministry of Local Government, stated that his team will soon engage elders and traditional leaders to place a strict halt on harmful traditional practices.
“The bush school is good but needs to be regulated. Opening the bush school while normal schools are open causes a major barrier to our children,” Minister Jallah noted.
He emphasized that cultural heritage can be preserved without FGM, noting that Sande and Poro traditions encompass many other important teachings and life skills.
According to the Minister, traditional practices occur across eleven counties, including Cape Mount, Montserrado, Bong, Margibi, Lofa, Bomi, Grand Bassa, Gbarpolu, and Rivercess, among others.
Cultural heritage centers have already been established in four counties—Nimba, Montserrado, Cape Mount, and Lofa—to enlighten traditional practitioners, provide skills training, and guide proper cultural observation, with expansion plans underway for the remaining traditional counties.
For many women, the legacy of the Sande Society (traditional bush school for girls) and early initiation remains a painful reminder of social exclusion.
Martor Yargbah, a 74-year-old resident of Bong County, deeply regrets her initiation into the Sande bush at the age of five by her late aunt, noting that she had no personal choice in the matter.
Furthermore, she shared how social stigma tied to initiation and subsequent marital rejection caused profound personal hardship, driving her to focus entirely on her business to support her five children.
Nelly Cooper, Executive Director of West Point Women for Health and Development (WPWHD), points out that while FGM has deep historical roots spanning centuries, open dialogue is finally replacing institutional silence.
FGM has been around for over 700 to 800 years, and eliminating FGM will have to take time. But the good thing is now you can be able to talk about FGM without people catching you,” Cooper explained.
Cooper stressed that the practice occurs both inside and outside formal bush schools, often driven by misconceptions regarding marriageability and sexual autonomy. Utilizing a rights-based approach, her organization continues local community engagement, observing that parents and children are increasingly resisting forced initiations.
To accelerate this momentum, UN Women Liberia, alongside international partners like the Embassy of Ireland, has championed mobile outreach initiatives.
Across towns and villages, a brightly branded vehicle has transformed public spaces into forums for critical conversations.
The Born Perfect Bus Tour serves as a community-driven campaign to tackle FGM through art, storytelling, music, and structured dialogues between survivors, youth, and traditional authorities.
Traveling through Totota and Palala in Bong County, as well as reaching Margibi, Cape Mount, Bomi, and Gbarpolu Counties, the tour has successfully engaged more than 3,000 people in regions where the topic was previously taboo.
Local leaders have acknowledged the profound impact of these mobile dialogues. Daniel E. Kollie, a traditional leader and clerk for the Konawolala Administrative District in Bong County, remarked:
Bong County Electoral District No. 6 Representative Maima Briggs Mensah stressed that the legislation is about removing harmful traditions while preserving the country’s positive cultural values.
She said the bill has completed committee review, but they are returning to their constituencies for public consultations before a final vote.
According to the UNFPA report of 2026 in February, there are Women and girls, aged 15-49, who have undergone some form of FGM 0 – 24.9%
The report showed that an estimated 230 million girls and women have been subjected to some form of FGM – a practice which is currently documented in at least 94 countries around the world; girls and women who have undergone it live predominantly in the African and Asian continents.
An additional estimated 27 million more girls will undergo the practice by 2030, a number that is likely to increase with population growth if the current pace continues.
From 2020 through 2022, COVID-19 disrupted programs to prevent female genital mutilation, with an estimated one-third reduction in progress towards ending the practice by 2030.
In 2026, UNFPA estimates that 4.5 million girls are at risk of female genital mutilation, over half of whom will be younger than five years old.
This story is being supported by the Merck foundation.