By: Trokon Wrepue – trokon1992seokin@gmail.com
Capitol Hill – The Chair of the House Committee on Gender, Representative Moima Briggs-Mensah, has expressed deep disappointment over the recent initiation and graduation of more than 500 girls from the secretive Sande Society in Liberia.
Photos of the girls, reportedly emerging from bush school in Lofa County — the home county of both President Joseph Boakai and Minister of Internal Affairs Francis Nyumalin — went viral on social media in recent weeks, sparking widespread debate.
This development comes despite a government-imposed ban on Sande activities announced a year ago. The ban, however, appears to be routinely ignored in several parts of the country.
Speaking to a group of legislative reporters, Rep. Briggs-Mensah condemned the graduation of the girls, particularly given the involvement of high-profile government officials’ constituencies.
“To see the home of the President and the Minister graduating 502 girls — we must condemn that,” she said. “It means the Minister was not serious when he announced the ban. It tells us that he is not committed to enforcing what he said. We cannot continue to do our jobs with lip service.”
As Chair on Gender, Rep. Briggs-Mensah said she is disheartened and confused by the continued subjecting of young girls to what she described as harmful traditional practices within the Sande Society.
She highlighted the contradiction between Liberia’s international commitments and its domestic actions.
“We’re celebrating our seat on the UN Security Council, and we’ve signed several international protocols — especially those protecting child rights. Continuing these harmful practices is simply unfair and unacceptable,” she stated.
