Liberia, where genital mutilation is protected by the state
North-western Liberia. A Sande girl. When they enter the “forest school”, young people leave regular studies and often do not return. The female illiteracy rate in Liberia, among the women of 15-24 years, it is in fact of 56%, against the 35,3% of male peers. genital mutilation, to be considered “pure”.
In Liberia, female genital mutilation was only banned for a year: in 2018 then-President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf had signed an executive order (the no. 92) which temporarily banned the practice and only on minors of 18 years. In 2019, George Weah was already president, a law against violence against women was approved. There was a reference to mutilations, but it was removed before reaching the courtroom.
The documentary Schools in the forest, by Emanuela Zuccalà, created in collaboration with the photographer Valeria Scrilatti, helps us understand how all this is possible. In fact, it talks about the condition of girls "cut" in schools run by Sande, ancient and powerful female secret society, and governed by spiritual guides called zoe. The documentary will be presented on 4 February on the platform openddb.it.
Zuccalà went to Liberia and was able to film some moments of a Sande school from outside. even if at first the prosecutor had asked for the investigation to be closed was able to film part of a graduation ceremony, a sort of final moment of training, in a village in Lofa county, in the western area of the country. «We were unable to follow the ceremony. It is not possible to do this if you are not part of the Sande, but we managed to film, on the outside, the girls and the zoe, the priestesses, while they were preparing".
Zuccalà interviewed some activists who wanted to remain anonymous and the journalist Mae Azango, who writes for FrontPage Africa and began to deal with genital mutilation and Sande schools in 2012.
Hit by numerous threats, the reporter had to hide and sending his daughter to the United States for fear of retaliation.
Zuccalà also interviewed a representative of the Ministry of the Interior, William Gallah, who underlined how the Sande schools are very old, preceding the introduction of Western education and have always played an important function in the local construction of society. The government recognizes them and considers them a legitimate alternative to other schools.
In Sande schools, girls learn to cook and take care of their children and husbands, but they remain illiterate and are subjected to having their clitoris cut, as an initiation rite to be accepted by society.
Forest schools are also a thriving business today: «Families have to pay when their daughters enter and leave, they often go into debt to keep them in school, buy them food and clothing", says Zuccalà. Girls access it even when they are very young, just 2-3 years. The length of stay also varies depending on how much the family can pay, generally from a minimum of three months to a maximum of three years. Parents have to pay money and bring food to get their daughters accepted and then take them away
Azango also believes that the government does not intervene for fear of losing consensus, because schools are still wanted and defended by a large part of the population. «The spread of genital mutilation in Liberia cannot be precisely quantified», says Zuccalà, «because a census was not taken. But it's probable, given the premises, that are still relevant today, most women".
(Stefania Ragusa. The photo is by Valeria Scrilatti for Contrasto)
