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Anti-FGM campaigner Neneh Rugiatu Turay has publicly accused Chief Minister David Moinina Sengeh of failing to act on information relating to an alleged case involving schoolgirls taken for initiation into the Bondo Society during his tenure as Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education.
Speaking on Liberty TV Show, Mrs. Turay questioned the commitment of some government officials to tackling Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), citing what she described as a missed opportunity by Sengeh to intervene in a matter affecting school-aged girls.
According to Mrs. Turay, the incident occurred while Sengeh was serving as Education Minister. She alleged that during a visit to a school, he observed that all the female pupils had been taken away for Bondo initiation, a development she said should have triggered immediate action by the authorities.
Mrs. Turay further claimed that she personally shared video evidence of the incident with Sengeh, expecting the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education to investigate and respond to the matter. However, she alleged that despite receiving the material, he neither responded nor took any visible action.
The anti-FGM advocate argued that the alleged incident reflects what she described as a lack of political will among some government officials to confront harmful traditional practices affecting girls and women.
She maintained that public officials charged with protecting children’s rights have a responsibility to act decisively whenever allegations involving school-aged girls and forced initiation practices are brought to their attention.
According to Mrs. Turay, meaningful progress in the fight against FGM requires more than public declarations and policy commitments. She said government leaders must demonstrate leadership through the enforcement of existing laws, the protection of vulnerable girls and the pursuit of accountability where violations occur.
She also called on authorities to strengthen safeguards against forced initiations and ensure that schools remain safe environments where children can pursue their education without disruption.
Mrs. Turay reaffirmed her commitment to advocating for the rights of women and girls, stressing that campaigners would continue speaking out against FGM and other harmful traditional practices until concrete measures are taken to address the issue.
The allegations were made during the TV Show and had not been independently verified at the time of publication. No response from Chief Minister David Moinina Sengeh was available at the time this report was prepared.
Female Genital Mutilation remains a contentious issue in Sierra Leone, with activists and human rights advocates continuing to call for stronger protections for girls and women and greater enforcement of measures aimed at preventing harmful traditional practices.
