Sierra Leone Bans Child Marriage: A Landmark Law

The President of Sierra Leone Signs Law Banning Child Marriage

The president of the small West African country of Sierra Leone signed a law on Tuesday that banned marriage for children aged 18 and younger. This law also imposes steep fines on adult spouses, marking a significant victory for activists who have long fought against the widespread practice.

Key Points of the New Legislation

• The law in Sierra Leone goes beyond many other similar laws in Africa by not only penalizing adult spouses but also those who enable child marriage, such as parents, officiants, and wedding guests.
• According to UNICEF, around 800,000 girls under 18 were married in Sierra Leone in 2020, accounting for about a third of the country’s girls. Half of these girls were married before they turned 15. Additionally, about 4% of boys in the country are married by the age of 18.
• Under the new law, individuals married as children now have the right to seek financial compensation and can petition for an annulment to exit their marriages.
• Betty Kabari, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, commended the law’s approach of holding accountable those who facilitate child marriages, emphasizing that a child does not get married in isolation.

Global Impact of Child Marriage

Every year, at least 12 million girls under the age of 18 are forced into marriage, as reported by the United Nations. Shockingly, more than 650 million girls and women worldwide have been married as children, highlighting the urgent need to address this human rights violation.