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In the next few days, Sierra Leone's president has a historic decision to make: protecting girls from getting their genitals cut. West Africa's highest court JUST ordered Sierra Leone to ban it, and the president himself believes it is the right thing to do. However, he faces pushback in Parliament – and needs to know people around the world have his back. Let’s speak up – while the president weighs the options!
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Dear friends,
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Kadijatu Allieu was tied up, beaten, blindfolded, and gagged. Then the women who had taken her mutilated her genitals with a razor and left her lying in a pool of blood for three days before she escaped.
In a historic act, she brought her case to West Africa’s highest court, and the judges JUST ruled that female genital mutilation (FGM) is a form of torture and Sierra Leone must ban it.
Sierra Leone’s President Bio is sympathetic, but Parliament is blocking. Now it’s up to his leadership to push the ban through. Let’s show him the world is with him! We did it in The Gambia, backing survivors and activists. Let’s do it again – taking our call directly to his office with Sierra Leone’s youth and a hard-hitting ad campaign. Sign now:
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President Bio has stood up for women’s rights in the past: he made history by choosing the country’s first female major-party running mate, declared “the future of Sierra Leone is female”, and pushed to get more women into Parliament. Inspired by his mother’s strength, he calls women the nation’s backbone and says: “While we must respect our culture, we have a duty to protect our girls and ensure their safety.”
Now, we need him to lead again.
Local activists and survivors are calling for an urgent ban on female genital cutting – and asked us to amplify their voices to show President Bio that when he confronts Parliament, he won’t stand alone: he’ll have the world at his back!
Join now – and together with Sierra Leone’s youth, we’ll take our call straight to the president’s office and launch powerful ads.
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Our community has fought tirelessly for the rights of women and girls – from reproductive justice, to girls’ education, to ending child marriage. Last year we succeeded in protecting a ban on FGM in The Gambia. Now let’s come together again to demand justice in Sierra Leone – and stand with every girl still waiting to be safe.
With fierce hope,
Muriel, Nate, Eza, Mo, Nadia, Huiting, Miguel, Antonia and the whole Avaaz team
Image caption: Image depicts a razorblade being used to cut girls’ genitals.
Image credit: Ivan Lieman
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