Female genital mutilation in Sierra Leone (also known as female genital cutting) is the common practice of removing all or part of the female's genitalia for cultural and religious initiation purposes, or as a custom to prepare them for marriage. Sierra Leone is one of 28 countries in Africa where female genital mutilation (FGM) is known to be practiced[1] and one of few that has not banned it.[2] It is widespread in part due to it being an initiation rite into the "Bondo," though initiation rite-related FGM was criminalised in 2019.[3][4] The type most commonly practised in Sierra Leone is Type IIb, removal of part or all of the clitoris and the labia minora.[5] As of 2013, it had a prevalence of 89.6%.[6]
- ^ Bitong, Liliane (November 2005). "Fighting Genital Mutilation in Sierra Leone". Bulletin of the World Health Organization. 83 (11): 801–880. PMC 2626459. PMID 16302032.
- ^ Nolen, Stephanie (2022-06-14). "Risking a Society's Retribution, Growing Numbers of Girls Resist Genital Cutting". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
- ^ "Sierra Leone bans FGM in clampdown on secret societies". Reuters. 25 January 2019.
- ^ Emma Batha (6 June 2019). "Sierra Leone's first lady confronted over FGM controversy". Reuters. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Forms reliabilitywas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Statistics Sierra Leone (SSL) and ICF International. Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey. Freetown, Sierra Leone and Rockville, MD: SSL and ICF International; 2013.