Sierra Leone has officially banned child marriage, a significant step marked by the enactment of new legislation by President Julius Maada Bio on Tuesday. This law aims to offer enhanced protection to girls in the country, where around a third marry before the age of 18, contributing to high maternal death rates due to the physical dangers of early pregnancy.
The new law stipulates severe penalties for those involved in child marriages: any man who marries a girl under 18 could face a minimum of 15 years in prison and a fine of approximately $4,000. Parents or individuals who attend such marriages are also subject to fines.
The U.S. Bureau of African Affairs commended the bill’s passage, describing it as a “significant milestone that not only safeguards girls but also promotes strong human rights protections.”
West and Central Africa have the highest child marriage rates globally, with nearly 60 million child brides, according to UNICEF. In Sierra Leone, a 21-year-old former child bride, who was forced into marriage at 14, expressed her consideration of seeking an annulment under the new law.
Human Rights Watch researcher Betty Kabari emphasized that the legislation should help “break the cycle of early marriage and its devastating consequences,” providing a model for other African countries, such as Tanzania and Zambia, to follow in repealing laws that allow child marriage.