Survivor Khadija Leads Call for Urgent Action to End FGM and Uphold Victims’ Rights
Khadija is calling for justice and compensation for the trauma she endured due to forced Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
She is demanding that the government of Sierra Leone take responsibility for her suffering and address the broader issue of FGM in the country.
On September 16, 2025, during the Purposeful and Forum against Harmful Practices conference, Khadija made a heartfelt plea to the government, urging them to implement the ECOWAS Court of Justice ruling.
In July 2025, Khadija took a significant legal step by filing a case with the ECOWAS Court against the Sierra Leonean government, highlighting her experience of being forcefully mutilated in 2016.
The ECOWAS Court’s findings revealed that the Sierra Leonean government failed to protect Khadija and other women by not criminalizing FGM.
Khadija emphasized her desire for justice, calling on the government to not only criminalize FGM but also to provide her with appropriate compensation for the harm she suffered.
She urged the authorities to take concrete action to end FGM and uphold the rights and dignity of women and girls across Sierra Leone.
If the government is aiming to promote human rights why not criminalising FGM?