By: Saidu Jalloh, Reporter
The Parliament of Sierra Leone has issued a statement addressing misinformation surrounding the newly enacted Child Rights Act, 2025. Recent reports, including one from Radio Democracy 98.1FM, erroneously claimed that the law criminalizes Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and imposes a fine of One Hundred Million Leones (NLe 100,000,000) for individuals circumcising girls under the age of 18.
Parliament has firmly refuted these assertions, clarifying that the Child Rights Act does not stipulate any fines, penalties, or punishments associated with FGM. Lawmakers are urging media outlets, civil society organizations, and the public to verify information against the official law or consult the Legislative Committee prior to dissemination.
The Parliament reiterated its commitment to safeguarding children’s rights and promised to maintain transparency regarding all legislative changes.
For further inquiries, please contact Daily Scope Newspaper at dailyscopemedia@gmail.com.
