60 Women Initiated Without Mutilation ‘Bondo Society’

By Alusine Fullah

Sixty Sierra Leonean women have successfully passed into womanhood through the Bondo society without genital mutilation at the Rosenbgeh village, Koya chiefdom, Port Loko district.

The said initiates include lactating mothers and students between the ages of 19 and 33 years. This has also been emerged as the third batch of women who have gone through the Bondo in Sierra Leone without cutting.

The Bondo used to be a secret society in Sierra Leone when women and young girls had to undergo through Mutilation (FGM). The Society, which is more like a sisterhood aims to prepare young women for adulthood, their traditional role as housewife, spouse and mother, and recognizes their move towards maturity and puberty.

 It is regarded as necessary by many communities in Sierra Leone, and young women who go through the Bondo initiation are celebrated and accorded a high social status.

Some strong women in Sierra Leone believe that the practice is harmful to women’s Health especially in giving birth. According to research carried a lot of women faced so many constraints during childbirth due to the absence of their clits which is supposed to help them deliver safely.

Because of the suffering and psychological trauma as a result this inhuman practice, The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, Ministry Health and Sanitation and with Social Welfare Ministry team up to end such practice and ensure women to go through the process without spilling blood.

Going through Bondo without harming or blood spill is a demonstration and a focus on protecting women and girls in Sierra Leone. The practice of Bondo society in Sierra Leone has been in existence since colonial days and it is part of our society that portrays Sierra Leone’s culture.

It is no doubt that the government of Sierra Leone has been team up with Human Right Organizations to stop the Mutilation which is against individual’s Human right. In Sierra Leone “Sowas” have been arrested and some were charged to Court for forcefully initiated children or women with their consent.