Sierra Leone first lady seeks data before condemning FGM
7 reported
Sierra Leone’s first lady, Fatima Maada Bio, has denied supporting female genital mutilation but said she will not openly condemn the practice without “reliable data” on its harms, according to an exclusive response to the Guardian. A group of health professionals, survivors, human rights activists and politicians sent a letter on June 10 to the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development, where Maada Bio serves as president, demanding clarification on her public statements. The letter, signed by more than 20 individuals including former gender minister Amy Smythe and UN expert Isha Dyfan, warned that perceptions of support for FGM risk undermining years of advocacy. Maada Bio, 45, a former film producer and actor who fled Sierra Leone as a teenager to escape child marriage, has refused to condemn FGM since her husband was elected president in 2018. She stated her comments were taken out of context and that she is “not in favour of any form of circumcision that is forced upon an individual.” The Guardian reports this as a single-source story.
What’s reported
Fatima Maada Bio denied supporting FGM but said she will not condemn it without “reliable data” on harms.
A letter sent June 10 to the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development demands clarification on her statements.
More than 20 signatories include former Sierra Leone gender minister Amy Smythe and UN expert Isha Dyfan.
Maada Bio, 45, has refused to condemn FGM since her husband’s 2018 election.
She stated her comments were “intended to encourage dialogue” and that she is not in favor of forced circumcision.
Sierra Leone has no law criminalising FGM; a 2019 national survey found 83% of women are cut, down from 90% in 2013.
An Ecowas court ruling last year described FGM as torture and ordered Sierra Leone to criminalise it; President Bio has not acknowledged the ruling publicly.
Key figures
Fatima Maada Bio, first lady of Sierra Leone and president of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development
President Julius Maada Bio, husband of Fatima Maada Bio
Amy Smythe, former Sierra Leone minister of gender and children’s affairs
Isha Dyfan, human rights lawyer and UN expert
Ranya Kargbo, senior UN professional and FGM survivor
Nimco Ali, independent UK government adviser for tackling violence against women and girls
Anita Koroma, founder of Girl Child Network Sierra Leone
Sources: The Guardian
