“We Must Protect Our Daughters”: House Puts FGM Bill on the Frontline After Powerful Public Hearing

Monrovia, Liberia: Liberia’s House of Representatives has pushed the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Bill into the national spotlight following a massive joint-committee public hearing that brought together lawmakers, traditional leaders, women’s groups, and international partners in a tense but hopeful showdown over the future of girls in the country. “This is no longer just a cultural debate; it is a matter of life, dignity, and human rights,” one lawmaker declared.

The hearing came after five-county community consultations with rural women, traditional authorities, and civil society organizations, whose collective message was clear: FGM must stop.

Development partners including the European Union, UN Women, and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection reviewed findings showing strong grassroots support for a law that prioritizes health, safety, and protection. “The voices from the communities are telling us they want change,” a civil society leader said.

Held under the banner “Born Perfect Grand Finale: From Community Dialogue to National Action,” the forum revealed that many citizens now see FGM as harmful and outdated. “Our girls are not born to suffer in silence,” a women’s advocate told the hearing. “They are born perfect and deserve to grow without fear.”

Providing scientific backing to the emotional testimonies, Medica Liberia presented a five-county baseline survey showing a growing rejection of FGM. “The data confirms what women have been saying for years—this practice endangers health and violates basic rights,” a representative of the organization explained.

Delivering the official position of the Joint Legislative Committee, Hon. Moima Briggs-Mensah said the proposed Women and Girls Protection Act is designed to protect lives, not attack culture. “We are not here to shame traditions; we are here to save girls,” she said. “This law must be firm in protecting rights, but respectful in how it engages our communities.”

She stressed that real change requires culturally sensitive messaging, grassroots involvement, and strong support systems such as education, healthcare, and alternative livelihoods. “A law without support will fail, but a law backed by communities will transform the nation,” Briggs-Mensah warned.

Some lawmakers, however, called for the consultations to go beyond five counties. “How can we pass a national law without hearing from all fifteen counties?” one legislator asked, pushing for deeper public education and nationwide dialogue before final passage.

As the debate intensifies, the House has made one thing clear: the future of Liberia’s women and girls is now at the center of legislative action. “History will judge us by whether we stood up for our daughters or looked away,” a lawmaker said, as the country waits for what could be a defining vote