WUNRN

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Please read on to Part 2 of this WUNRN release - 12 July 2011:

LIBERIA JURY DELIVERS GUILTY VERDICT ON RUTH BERRY PEAL CASE

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Equality Now - http://www.equalitynow.org/node/781

 

Liberia: Ensure Justice in the Case of Ruth Berry Peal Who Was Forcibly Subjected to FGM

2011 Mar 24

Ruth Berry Peal

Ruth Berry Peal

Over 58 percent of Liberian women have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM). The practice is carried out through a politically influential female secret society known as the Sande society as part of an initiation rite into womanhood by the Kpelle, Bassa, Vai, Dan (Gio), Mano, Dei and Gola ethnic groups. Challenging practices of the influential Sande society could have severe repercussions. Women from non-FGM practicing communities in Liberia may also be subjected to FGM either through marriage into practicing groups or by force as was the case with Ruth Berry Peal.

In January 2010, Ruth had an argument with two women from the Gola ethnic group and was summoned by the Gola Chief who ruled that she be genitally mutilated despite her belonging to an ethnic group that does not practice FGM. The following day, Ruth was forcibly taken from her home to the ‘bush’ where she was genitally mutilated in an initiation ritual, was forced to take an oath of secrecy and was threatened with death if she broke the oath. She was kept in the ‘bush’ for one month and developed health complications, which required three months of treatment following her release. Ruth filed a lawsuit against the two women who forcibly mutilated her. However, because Ruth has invoked the wrath of the Gola community by exposing their practice after taking an oath of secrecy, she and her husband received several threats demanding they drop the case. Ruth’s case has been moved to Monrovia, where she currently resides apart from her husband and children due to threats against her. She has been receiving support from the Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), Women of Liberia Peace Network (WOLPNET) and the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL).

FGM in Liberia is generally carried out on girls between the ages of 8 to 18 years but in some cases girls as young as 3 years are subjected to the practice. The forms of FGM practiced in Liberia are Type II – where the clitoris and labia minora (smaller lips) are removed leaving the labia majora (larger lips) intact; and Type I or clitoridectomy – the partial or total removal of the clitoris. Many girls are subjected to FGM at traditional schools for the Sande society where they are prepared for adulthood by undergoing training, including on the arts of using herbs, spices, and roots to make poisons, “love” potions. FGM is a key element of this indoctrination, following which the girls are considered members of the women's secret society, meaning that they are "clean" and eligible for marriage, capable of child-bearing, and eventually able to hold important societal roles and offices. The Liberian Ministry of Internal Affairs issues permits to the women who run these schools and who carry out FGM on the girls in attendance.

FGM poses serious physical and mental health risks for women and girls. The immediate complications include severe pain, haemorrhage and shock, wound infection, septicemia and tetanus. Long term health consequences include keloids and cysts formation, possible chronic infections, decreased sexual enjoyment and psychological trauma. A 2006 World Health Organization multi-country study found that complications during delivery are more likely to occur among women who have undergone FGM and the rate of prenatal deaths is 1-2 percent higher for the babies of such women. Some girls die from FGM, usually as a result of bleeding or infection.

The Liberian constitution guarantees the rights of life, liberty and security of person to all Liberians. Liberia is also a party to a number of international and regional human rights treaties that mandate the protection of women and girls from the practice of FGM, including the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, which in Article 5 specifically calls on states parties to ban all forms of FGM through legislative measures. In addition, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, all ratified by Liberia, further guarantee women and girls protection from this harmful practice.

Significantly, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, the treaty body that monitors compliance with CEDAW, in examining Liberia’s report in 2009, urged the State party to “enact without delay . . . legislation prohibiting female genital mutilation and to ensure that offenders are prosecuted and punished in accordance with the severity of this violation” and to “immediately stop issuing permits to practitioners as currently being done by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.” The Committee encouraged Liberia to “extend and accelerate implementation of programmes designed to sensitize and provide alternate sources of income for those who perform female genital mutilation” and to “strengthen its awareness-raising and educational efforts, targeted at both women and men, including government officials at all levels, chiefs and other traditional and community leaders, . . to eliminate the practice of female genital mutilation and its underlying cultural justification.”

Despite the foregoing international, regional and national commitments, Liberia does not have a law banning FGM. Women in practicing communities have little choice but to adhere to tradition if they are to be considered full members of the community. Women from non-practicing communities such as Ruth Berry Peal may also be forced to undergo this practice. Rather than honor its international obligations to ban the practice, the Liberian government condones and supports this practice, thereby undermining efforts towards the elimination of FGM.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 12 July 2011                                       

                                                Contact: Mary Ciugu, (254) 20 271-9832/913

                                                                                equalitynownairobi@equalitynow.org               

LIBERIA-JURY DELIVERS GUILTY VERDICT ON RUTH BERRY PEAL CASE

On 8 July 2011, the case of Ruth Berry Peal, who was abducted and forcedly genitally mutilated by two women of the Gola community, was concluded after one month of hearings with a verdict of “guilty” by the jury on charges of kidnapping, felonious restraint and theft.   The sentencing of the two women will take place this week by the judge, who in closing made references to the Liberian Constitution and Article 4(1) of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (African Women’s Protocol), which states Every woman shall be entitled to respect for her life and the integrity and security of her person. All forms of exploitation, cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment and treatment shall be prohibited.

 

Equality Now and its Liberian partners, the Women of Liberia Peace Network (WOLPNET) and Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), welcome the jury’s decision and are eagerly awaiting the sentencing of the perpetrators.  Equality Now launched an international campaign calling for justice for Ruth and urging Liberia to criminalize female genital mutilation (FGM), which it has an obligation to do so under Article 5 of African Women’s Protocol ratified by Liberia in December 2007 (click here to view the campaign). 

 

In response to advocacy efforts of Liberian groups and Equality Now, Ruth’s case was moved from Bomi to Monrovia, away from the influence of the Gola community that upholds the harmful traditional practice of FGM. Una Kumba Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of WOLPNET says “women look up to the judiciary for justice and Liberia is obliged under Article 8(a) of the African Women’s Protocol to ensure effective access to judicial and legal services and so we are very pleased about the support the government has provided Ruth Peal in exercising her right to seek justice”.

 

The prevalence rate of FGM in Liberia is estimated at a staggering 58 percent of women and girls.  Most undergo this practice as part of their initiation into the Sande society.  Faiza Mohamed, Equality Now Nairobi Office Director, stated, “The swiftness in which the government acted to ensure Ruth gets justice is exemplary; however the government needs to demonstrate leadership in eliminating FGM, including by enacting legislation to protect girls and women from this human rights violation.”

 

Equality Now and its partners continue to urge the government of Liberia to take expeditious action to protect girls and women from female genital mutilation, and, to this end, call on the Liberian government to stop issuing permits to the FGM practitioners, to initiate the process towards enactment of a law criminalizing FGM and to invest in public education against the practice.

 

For more information on this campaign visit www.equalitynow.org