User:Akhilakiran/sandbox

Female Genital Mutilation has been a big problem in Sierra Leone, the country that reports the highest occurrence of this practice in the world. Statistics taken by the Demographic and Health Survey revealed that in 2008, 91.3% of women aged 15-49 had been circumcised and in 2013 that number had only dropped to 89.6%. However, in 2014 a massive Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone led to the deaths of 4000 people and the government decided to help prevent the spread of the disease by putting a ban on the practice of FGM. The ban was somewhat ineffective however and only 3 years after it was put in play, the practice is still occurring in the country. The topic is difficult to address however because it is embedded into the country's he cultural history and many politicians who could try to do something about the issue have not taken necessary steps because they are more concerned about re-election. It is also seen as a rite of passage by some of the people in the country but women who have been affected by it are trying to raise awareness of how bad the practice is and why it should be stopped.

The members of the Sierra Leone Eastern Kenema District FGM Council protested  against the interference in their secret society. It was stated that the protest began when a 28 - year old woman was coerced into FGM and kept locked in a house for four days. The FGM victim was admitted to the hospital with serious pain and traumatization. The violence against women and girls are investigated by the police Family Support Unit and was examining the charges of kidnapping, forced FGM and torture. The news of the assault has made Sierra Leone anti FGM coalition to reiterate their call for banning FGM in the country. The practice is always harmful and unacceptable in this 21st century regardless of the age of the victims.

Sierra Leone’s First post war election happened in March 2018 to ensure a fair election for the candidates. During the 2018 March the FGM ban was enforced again to prevent the candidates from gaining sway during the elections. The Candidates would pay for the FGM ceremonies taking care of the fee like the feast they have the music and the women performing the ceremony paying up to $200 dollars for all fees. This paying of the ceremonies would gain the favor of the pro FGM supporters.