A delegation of lawyers representing the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL) headed by its Vice President Cllr. Bowuolo Taylor Kelley has returned home after participating in a three-day Waging Justice for Women Fellowship conference held in Nairobi, Kenya.
The convening was hosted by one of AFELL’s partners, the Cooney Foundation for Justice.
During the intensive and meaningful capacity development initiative, participants skills were sharpen to enhance their capacities in the representation of women including trauma-informed case management, strategic litigation, fundraising, and media for human rights lawyers among others.
As part of the training a panel discussion was held on the status of strategic litigation across Africa where over thirty women lawyers including Lawyers of Liberia from ten African countries who are front liners on waging justice for Women in Africa actively and robustly participated.
At the same time, panelists discussed the strategic litigation cases for legal and social reforms in their countries, the progress thus far, and the challenges faced.
Presenting Liberia’s case as one of the panelists was Cllr. Bowoulo Taylor-Kelley, Vice President of AFELL who highlighted the fight against female genital mutilation (FGM) and the challenges faced in a dual-legal system of civil and customary laws.
She told the gathering that there is no current legislation that criminalizes the practice of FGM, thereby making it difficult to bring perpetrators to justice on the charge of FGM as in other jurisdictions that have enacted anti FGM laws and policies.
Cllr. Kelley however informed the body that even though female genital mutilation (FGM) is not criminalized in the Penal Code, certain provisions of the 1976 Penal Code address FGM-related offences making specific reference to sections 14(20) provision on Aggravated assault, 14 (59) on Kidnapping and Section 14(23) on Recklessly Endangering another person, that could be applied in some instances.
It can be recalled that in 2018 Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, issued Executive Order 92 as an initial step to abolishing the practice of FGM in Liberia specifically protecting girls below the age of 18 and imposing lenient penalties on the perpetrators.
She however indicated that although there have been several moratoriums banning the practice of FGM in Liberia, the practice continues unabated most times within the full view of local authorities.
Madam Kelley used the occasion to call on the state to prioritize and be intentional in the fight against gender-based violence, and violence against women in all forms and manner by ensuring that an anti-female genital mutilation law is enacted and implemented.
The practice of FGM is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of women and girls, and violates a person’s rights to health, security, the right to be free from torture and cruel and inhuman or degrading treatment, and the right to life in the case of a life-threatening situation.
On the side line of the training, there were also chats with Martha Koome, Chief Justice of Kenya, and Advocate Martha Karua, Kenyan author politician, and former Vice-Presidential candidate.
Liberia as a state party to several international human rights conventions and treaties is under obligation to abide by fulfilling its duty to the citizens by promoting and protecting human rights.
Meanwhile, Atty. Christine Tenneh Dono a member of AFELL and a Legal Fellow of the Waging Justice for Women Fellowship Program 2023/2024 was awarded a certificate of completion of the one-year fellowship tenure, while the Legal Fellow 2025 of the Waging Justice for Women Fellowship Atty. Peteryna J. Kanneh was inducted into the program..
