FGM is Still Legal in Sierra Leone – Sierra Leone Parliament
Sahid Bangura The Parliament of Sierra Leone has issued a formal disclaimer regarding the recently enacted Child Rights Act, 2025, clarifying that the legislation does not impose any fines, penalties, or punishments specifically related to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
In response to reports from Radio Democracy 98.1FM and other media outlets, the Parliament emphasized that the new law neither criminalizes FGM nor includes a penalty of One Hundred Million Leones (NLe 100,000,000) for individuals who circumcise girls under eighteen years of age.
The Parliament characterized those claims as “factually incorrect and misleading.”
The parliament urged media institutions, civil society organizations, and the public to consult the corrected version of the enacted legislation or to seek clarification from the Legislative Committee of Parliament before sharing sensitive legislative information.
“The House remains committed to the protection and promotion of the rights and welfare of children in Sierra Leone,” the statement read, reaffirming its dedication to ensuring that all legislative reforms are communicated accurately and transparently.
For further inquiries, the Parliament has directed interested parties to contact the Office of the Clerk of Parliament or the Department of Legislative Services located at Tower Hill, Freetown.
Why stop FGM, it’s legal religiously the practice has been for decades why now pls respect tradition nd culture. Why not stop the circumcision of men let’s lay FGM to rest pls.