Patterns of Female Genital Cutting in Sierra Leone - Unicef

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UNICEF: Patterns of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in Sierra Leone
Such women could be role models for others if their stories were known. It requires
courage to be the first to tell such a story of resistance to tradition, so it would be
worthwhile to engage in a cooperative effort to gather volunteers and assemble a set of
stories from various ethnic groups that could be used to help others decide that they can
afford to take the risk of giving up the practice. A story project could be initiated to
gather such experiences, and dissemination could be in the form of radio spots, reading
materials, dramatizations, or public speaking and panels at schools or churches.
6.7. Promote celebrations and recognition for girls.
Invent new celebrations or elaborate existing celebrations and recognitions, as
alternatives to circumcision.
Since girls and families look forward to initiation as their special time, reformers should
address the need for recognition in some alternate way. Since the idea of “initiation
without cutting” such as was tried in Kenya seems alien to the Sierra Leonean concept of
initiation, other forms of recognitions should be encouraged and institutionalized, to help
minimize the loss of this rite of passage if and when it is abandoned. Alternative rites of
passage to mark the stages of progress from girlhood to womanhood should be
developed. As Sierra Leone moves toward higher percentages of children being in school
(currently it is more than half, yet the school-age children who are actually going to
school are less than two thirds of those who are of the appropriate ages), school
achievements can be a major source of pride and markers of transition. Promotions from
significant class levels (such as the transition from elementary school to junior high
school and from junior high school to senior high school), honors, winning contests
(essay contests, project successes, innovative competitions), and community service
awards could all be encouraged. Competitions where only a few can win (e.g. athletic
abilities) are less useful in this respect, but if there are many different ones, then
individuals can find varying bases for self esteem and public recognition. However, peer
pressure works to encourage conformity, and recognitions of individual achievements
may be a less effective substitute for rites of passage than group achievements, such as
large and highly festive graduation ceremonies or other “coming of age” recognitions that
children can do in groups.
The use of mentors and role models to mark such special times is very important. Clearly
the Bondo Society has done this very well, by offering a new status to initiates who are
aware of a hierarchy of statuses among leaders in the society. Adult women who have
achieved leadership roles as teachers, doctors, nurses, chiefs, parliamentarians, and
successful business women should be called upon to sponsor and encourage such
activities, whether for girls only or for groups of both boys and girls, to convey the
unstated message that there are alternative sources of adult status and recognition. At the
same time, leaders of both sexes should be discouraged from sponsorship or
encouragement of secret society initiations. Without opposing the societies, they can
begin to build an alternative to them.