Feb. 7, Declared Day of Zero Tolerance on FGM
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The President of the Republic of Liberia, Her Excellency Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has issued a Proclamation declaring Sunday, February 6, 2011, a day of “Zero Tolerance on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) on the African Continent,” to be observed throughout the Republic as a Working Holiday. Since February 6, falls on Sunday, the Day will be celebrated on Monday, February 7, 2011.
President Johnson Sirleaf calls upon all Ministries, Agencies, Local and International Organizations and the General Public to join the National Association on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children (NATPAH) in collaboration with the Awareness Action Groups (AAGs), and Women Organizations, to plan and implement appropriate programs befitting the occasion.
According to a Foreign Ministry release, the Proclamation is in consonance with this year’s, February 6, 2011, commemoration of “Zero Tolerance on FGM on the African Continent” which will be celebrated under the theme: “Engaging Government, Indispensible, to Reaching Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).”
Organizers, attendance and supporters of Zero Tolerance and Supporters of FGM on the African Continent and the world over, consider such practice as unacceptable, barbaric, inhumane, traumatizing and a practice that continue to create Agony in the Life of Women in Africa, and the World.
It may be recalled that a three-day International Conference on Female Genital Mutilation was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from February 4 – 6 2003 and was attended by representatives of 49 countries including four First Ladies from Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Nigeria, as well as Ministers, Parliamentarians, African Union (AU) delegations and representatives of other International Organizations.
The United Nations General Assembly gave recognition to the Inter-African Committee (IAC) upon Resolution A/RES/53/117 adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1998, in which the UN General Assembly requested all Member Countries to step up efforts in order to sensitize and mobilize Intercontinental and National Public opinion on the detrimental effect of traditional and customary practices affecting the health of women and girls.
In Liberia, the NATPAH was founded for the promotion of gender equality and to contribute to the improvement of the health status, social, economic, political, human rights and quality of life of women and children through the elimination of harmful traditional practices (HTPs).