As debate continues over the eradication of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Liberia, a veteran Liberian female lawyer has called for a holistic approach in eradicating FGM in the country. In an interview at the Temple of Justice yesterday, Cllr. Pearl Brown Bull publicly expressed her opposition to the eradication of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), arguing that the practice is deeply rooted in cultural traditions that should be respected and preserved.
She wondered why only women and girls should be prioritized when boys and men are also affected by genital mutilation. “EEhn lay can cut the boys’ toto too? Cllr. Bull questioned while responding to an inquiry from newsmen.
The former board member of the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia publicly expressed opposition to the eradication of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), arguing that the practice is deeply rooted in cultural traditions that should be respected and preserved.
She said that as much as women and girls are usually affected, men and boys are also victims of genital mutilation. If efforts are being made to eradicate this harmful practice against women and girls, boys must also be part of the eradication process.
In recent years, Liberians, mostly women, have been advocating for the eradication of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) with calls to the Liberian National Legislature to expedite consideration and approval of the Women and Girls Protection Act, a Bill submitted by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai in October 2025.
The bill “arises from a national obligation to protect the dignity, rights, and health of all Liberians. It represents a decisive shift from non-binding measures to explicit criminalization, complete with penalties and victim support provisions, following years of advocacy by groups such as the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL) and other human rights organizations.
AFFELL Vice President Cllr. Kelley at one point informed participants of a gathering that Liberia currently lacks a distinct, standalone statute or comprehensive legal framework outlawing female genital mutilation (FGM).
Cllr. Kelley underscored that FGM represents a manifestation of discrimination and is rooted in systemic gender inequality. She identified FGM as a form of violence against women and girls. She further emphasized that the state is under an obligation to ensure the protection of all citizens from such harmful traditional practices as prohibited by the Liberian constitution.
But Cllr. Bull, a Constitutional Lawyer and one of the drafters of Liberia’s 1986 Constitution, vehemently expressed opposition to the eradication of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), arguing that the practice is deeply rooted in cultural traditions that should be respected and preserved.
I’m joined the Sande Society and many other fraternities in and out of Liberia, and I respect their rules and norms. I’m not here for that. If the white people bring their money, they try to influence our people to do away with their cultures and traditions; I’m not here for that,” she emphasized.
