-As Chief Zanzan Karwor warns zoes against wrong interference in elections.
By: G Bennie Bravo Johnson I
The National Council of Chiefs and Elders of Liberia (NACCEL), in collaboration with the Ministry of Internal Affairs; the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and the Liberia Crusaders for Peace between Thursday, and Friday, August, 3-4, 2023, conducted traditional ceremonies to mark the closure of the bush schools in Grand Cape Mount.
The closure of the cape mount traditional school which was in fulfillment of the February, 2023 proclamation of the chief custodian of the culture and traditions of Liberia, was implemented by UN Women with funding support from the Government of Sweden.
On February 6, 2023, a landmark proclamation to ban female genital mutilation (FGM), a harmful practice that involves the removal or injury of external female genital organs for non-medical reasons, was made by the chairperson of the National Council of Chiefs and Elders of Liberia (NACCEL), Chief Zanzan Karwor.
Chief Karwor announced the ban of FGM during the commemoration of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, a day set aside by the United Nations to
amplify and direct efforts towards the elimination of the FGM practice.
Ahead of the ban, in January 2023, there was an event held at the vocational and heritage centre constructed by UN Women with funding from the European Union and United Nations Spotlight Initiative in Sonkay Town, Montserrado County, in Liberia.
This event saw traditional leaders in Montserrado County participating in a traditional ceremony where all FGM practitioners in the county put down their tools and returned thepermits that were issued by the Government to practice FGM.
In fulfillment of the ban proclaimed on February 6, 2023, Chief Karwor, similar rituals will be performed in the other 10 FGM practicing counties, to ensure that the practice is completely eliminated in the whole country.
the Chairperson of the National Council of Chief and Elders of Liberia, Zanzan Karwor added that the conciliation of FGM from cultural practice is not the end of cultural in Liberia, but it is the beginning of the Promotion, protection of the cultural heritage in Liberia.
Chief Karwor went further to state that the turning over of the FGM equipment will see that women are protected and nothing will happen to traditional women because they turn over the equipment.
Meanwhile, he added that the closure of the bush school is not his making but it is the making of the international community. Asserting that the international community is exerting pressure on national government to stop the practice of FGM.
Chief Kawor went on by recording that over the years, zoes and elders signed up to stop the practice of FGM for three years and it’s about time to implement what they signed up to.
He continued by applauding the traditional chiefs and zoes of cape mount for the implementation of the FGM ban and the closure of the bush school.
Meanwhile, Chief Zanzan Kawor warned zoes not to get involved in the upcoming elections as he referred to the 2020 senatorial elections was horrible for Gbarpolu senator GbotoKanneh.
He further warned that any zoe found in the practice of forceful initiation of girls in bush school and the practice of FGM, will face the full weight of the law.
According to him, it was because of the forceful initiation of person into the traditional school that prompted the closing of female genital mutilation from cultural practices.
Also, he cautioned the men not to rejoice over the elimination of FGM because tomorrow it might be the elimination of the make culture.
From her end, the National Traditional Queen of Liberia, Julie Endee, provided that the closure of traditional schools across the counties started in bush Town, Montserrado County.
She clarified that the closing the FGM section of the bush school is not the closure of bush. Amb. Endee said the bush teaches traditional and moral lessons, but is the extraction of the FGM section from the traditional school. She ended that the intent is not to close culture down in Liberia.
At the same time, the operation manager of the United Nations Women in Liberia,
Yawo Maglo, in a remark on behalf of the Country Representative, reiterated the sincere appreciation of the United Nations to the Government of Liberia and the National Council of Chiefs and Elders of Liberia for the continuous efforts to protect women and girls of Liberia from violence and harmful traditional practices.
Yawo Maglo appreciated Chief Zanzan Karwor for what he referred to as the demonstration of true leadership in the process for abolishing FGM.
He recalled that in February 2023, the Chief ultimately declared a full ban on FGM in Liberia with immediate effect in Montserrado County. Something he asserted that demonstrates true leadership.
The UN envoy continued by lauding the local county authorities and the traditional leaders and zoes of Grand Cape Mount for accepting the call to transform one of Liberia’s old age practice, which he asserted that it was not only preventing Liberian women and girls to live a life free from all forms of violence, but also was holding back
Liberia from achieving the international commitments signed to protect women and girls from any harm and violation of their human rights.
“Today we are witnessing the implementation of the pronounced FGM ban in Grand Cape Mount County.
Permit me also to also thank, from the bottom of my heart, the local
county authorities and the traditional leaders and zoes of Grand Cape
Mount for accepting the call to transform one of Liberia’s old age
practice, which was not only preventing Liberian women and girls to
live a life free from all forms of violence, but also was holding back
Liberia from achieving the international commitments signed to
protect women and girls from any harm and violation of their
human rights.”
In furtherance, he conveyed appreciation to the Government and the People
of Sweden who accepted to fund the process of the traditional rites for the implementation of the FGM ban in Grand Cape Mount, and in other 3 Counties.
He intimated that it is in the interest of UN-Women to see the FGM ban implemented in Nimba, Lofa, and Bong Counties over the next few weeks.
Moreover, he added that the Liberian traditional culture will continue to be preserved, without the practice of FGM.
He further added that UN Women and the UN System respect traditional and cultural values; however, practices that affect the health and life of women and girls need to be abolished and the rights
of women and girls protected.
Yawo Maglo said UN Women is working closely with traditional leaders to ensure that alternative economic livelihood opportunities are available under the ongoing EU-funded Spotlight Initiative.
He concluded by stating that
Grand Cape Mount County is now in the annals of history as Liberia’s second county that has embraced the elimination of Female Genital Mutilation.
