A prominent human rights advocate, Madam Marennie Judges Mitchell, has issued a strong counter-response to former Miss Liberia Wokie Dolo’s ongoing campaign against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), calling for a more balanced national dialogue that respects traditional values while promoting safety and reform.
Madam Mitchell argued that the Female Genital Cutting (FGC), an aspect of the female bush school (Sande society), is not as “intentionally cruel” as it is often portrayed by activists. She maintained that traditional practices like the bush school are deeply rooted in Liberia’s heritage and should not be condemned without fair consultation with traditional leaders.
“Our traditional people use this as a strategy for confidentiality, just as the elite societies have means of ensuring all members keep aspects of their fraternities private,” Madam Mitchell explained. “Requesting lawmakers to ban a way of life that existed long before the emergence of elites is totally unacceptable.”
Her comments come in response to Wokie Dolo’s campaign against FGM, which seeks to engage leaders in 11 counties where the practice is still common. Ms. Dolo has insisted that the procedure causes pain and violates girls’ rights, emphasizing that “we cannot continue to label something as culture when it inflicts harm.”
However, Madam Mitchell believes that rather than a total ban, the government and traditional authorities should reform and modernize the bush school system. She proposed that the program be integrated into Liberia’s national education curriculum under strict supervision to ensure health and safety standards.
According to her, the bush school could be redesigned into three structured classes blending cultural education with modern values Classes;
One and Two would teach traditional theory and practical lessons such as survival skills, respect, domestic life, traditional medicine, communication, and traditional law for junior and senior high students.
Class Three would be reserved for adults aged 35 and above who seek advanced traditional leadership training, with mandatory inclusion of medical practitioners to ensure the safety of participants.
Madam Mitchell further recommended that the government create designated, supervised locations for the female bush schools, adding that any institution found engaging in unsafe or harmful practices should face immediate closure.
“If any harm or unsafe practice consistently occurs, the government can then take drastic actions, including permanently abolishing it,” she stated.
The cultural advocate stressed that Liberia’s heritage should not be erased but reformed to meet modern standards of human rights and safety.
