First Lady Fatima Bio, a driving force behind Sierra Leone's new Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, advocates for children's rights with her impact full 'Hands Off Our Girls' campaign. Picture: Supplied/SierraLeonaGovt
Sierra Leone has banned child marriages with a new law signed by President Julius Maada Bio, marking a significant step in protecting children's rights, particularly young girls.
The organisation MenEngage Africa (MEA) said it was celebrating the new law in Sierra Leone that bans child marriages.
President Bio signed the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act into law at a ceremony organised by First Lady Fatima Bio. The first lady’s “Hands Off Our Girls” campaign has played a crucial role in this achievement.
The new law punishes men who marry girls under 18 with at least 15 years in prison and a fine of around $4,000.
It also makes it illegal to live with a child in a marriage-like setting and punishes anyone who arranges or attends such marriages.
Sierra Leone has one of the highest child marriage rates in Africa, with 30% of girls married before their 18th birthday, according to the 2019 Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Surveys.
Child marriage is a serious violation of children's rights, with harmful effects on individuals, families, and society. It is a form of sexual violence against girls and part of a wider pattern of cultural, social, and economic violence against women and girls.
“It is within this context that Sonke and MenEngage Africa have for the past couple of years joined advocates in Africa to call for ending child marriages by working with families, communities and law makers, specifically through engagement with men and boys for gender transformation, said Bafana Khumalo, Co-Executive Director of Sonke Gender Justice.
Bafana highlighted that MenEngage Africa is committed to ending child, early, and forced marriages as a crucial campaign for advancing Gender Equality under Sustainable Development Goal 5. This involves working closely with regional policymakers to push for the prohibition of these harmful practices across the region.
The new act not only bans child marriage but also ensures support for affected girls, including counselling and protection. It updates existing laws, like the Child Rights and Registration of Customary Marriage Acts, to create a unified legal framework aimed at ending early marriages and their harmful effects.
“As MenEngage Africa we welcome this law reform. We know that legislation on its own is not enough to eliminate this harmful practice,it must be complemented by integrating comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education within the school curriculum and community-based programmes.
Adequate access to sexual and reproductive health services, investment in effective child protection systems and addressing socio-cultural drivers that perpetuate harmful practices” said MEA Chairperson Sithembile Gumede.
Gumede also praised the leadership of President Bio, First Lady Fatima Bio, progressive chiefs, UNFPA, and civil society organisations in Sierra Leone who have supported this effort.
As Sierra Leone leads by example, MEA calls on other African nations to follow suit, ensuring that children everywhere are protected and empowered to fulfil their potential in a safe and nurturing environment.
This legislative victory resonates not just in courtrooms and corridors of power but in the hearts and futures of every child who deserves to grow up free from the shackles of early and forced marriages.
IOL