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The tragic deaths of 13-year-old Salamatu Kalawa and 17-year-old Kadiatu Bangura have brought renewed attention to the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Sierra Leone.
Both girls succumbed to severe hemorrhage and complications following clitoridectomy at a Bondo shrine in Kambia District, as testified by medical expert Dr. Jalloh in court.
The case, initiated in October 2023, has garnered significant attention from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), the victims’ families, and the media. Magistrate George Samai, overseeing the proceedings at Kambia Magistrate Court, received “no case submissions” from the defense, with the final ruling set for August 7, 2024.
The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies Type 1 FGM, or clitoridectomy, as the partial or total removal of the clitoris—a practice with severe health risks. Expert witnesses vividly detailed how this procedure led to fatal outcomes for both girls.
Despite Sierra Leone’s commitment to various international human-rights conventions condemning FGM, there is no specific legislation banning the practice. The deaths of Kalawa and Bangura have sparked calls for urgent legislative reform to protect young girls.
FAHP (Fight Against Harmful Practices), an organization dedicated to ending FGM and similar traditional practices, has been actively involved in the case. Representatives from FAHP confirmed their attendance for the final court verdict, which many hope will prompt significant changes in Sierra Leone’s approach to FGM.
