Wire report
Sierra Leone’s first lady refuses to condemn FGM without ‘reliable data’ on harms
Exclusive: health professionals, survivors and politicians voice concerns in open letter over comments by Fatima Maadi Bio, who denies supporting the practice The first lady of Sierra Leone has denied that she supports female genital mutilation amid rising anger around her perceived approval of the practice. But in an exclusive response to the Guardian, Fatima Maada Bio, the wife of President Julius Maada Bio, also said she would not openly condemn FGM until she saw “reliable data” that the practice was harmful. Continue reading...
coverage / Wire report
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Exclusive: health professionals, survivors and politicians voice concerns in open letter over comments by Fatima Maadi Bio, who denies supporting the practice The first lady of Sierra Leone has denied that she supports female genital mutilation amid rising anger around her perceived approval of the practice. But in an exclusive response to the Guardian, Fatima Maada Bio, the wife of President Julius Maada Bio, also said she would not openly condemn FGM until she saw “reliable data” that the practice was harmful. Continue reading...
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What happened
According to The Guardian’s linked item, Sierra Leone’s first lady refuses to condemn FGM without ‘reliable data’ on harms, Exclusive: health professionals, survivors and politicians voice concerns in open letter over comments by Fatima Maadi Bio, who denies supporting the practice The first lady of Sierra Leone has denied that she supports female genital mutilation amid rising anger around her perceived approval of the practice. But in an exclusive response to the Guardian, Fatima Maada Bio, the wife of President Julius Maada Bio, also said she would not openly condemn FGM until she saw “reliable data” that the practice was harmful. Continue reading…
Context
The development sits in VINI’s Global coverage for readers following international affairs, institutions, conflict, diplomacy, economics, and cross-border consequences. The original report is linked so readers can check the source account, follow later updates, and compare new coverage against the first published record. The linked item is dated 2026-06-17T05:00:23+00:00.
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Source
Primary source: Sierra Leone’s first lady refuses to condemn FGM without ‘reliable data’ on harms via The Guardian. VINI cites and links the source; it does not reproduce the publisher’s full article text without rights clearance.
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- Sierra Leone’s first lady refuses to condemn FGM without ‘reliable data’ on harmsThe Guardian - 2026-06-17T05:00:23+00:00
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