Kadijatu Balaima Allieu was forcibly subjected to female genital mutilation (FGM) in 2016 in Sierra Leone. Her case led to a ruling by the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) court, which condemned FGM as a serious violence against women, demanding Sierra Leone to criminalize the practice. The court recognized the government's failure to act on human rights violations related to FGM. Despite a UN resolution to ban FGM in 2012, it remains prevalent, with a 2019 survey indicating that 83% of Sierra Leonean women have undergone the procedure, predominantly before age 15.
The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) court of justice described FGM as one of the worst forms of violence against women which meets the threshold for torture.
The case filed by Forum Against Harmful Practices, We Are Purposeful, and Allieu held the government liable for human rights violations due to its failure to criminalise FGM.
The court ordered Sierra Leone to enact and implement legislation criminalising female genital mutilation and to take appropriate measures to prohibit its occurrence and protect victims.
A national survey in 2019 found that 83% of women in Sierra Leone had undergone FGM, with 71% of them subjected to the practice before the age of 15.
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