On Tuesday, Sierra Leone officially outlawed child marriage as President Julius Maada Bio signed into law a bill aimed at ending the widespread practice.
The new legislation in Sierra Leone is anticipated to bolster protections for girls, a crucial step as approximately one-third of them are married before reaching 18.
This early marriage trend significantly raises the risk of maternal mortality, exposing young girls to heightened physical risks during pregnancy, as highlighted by the health ministry.
The newly enacted law imposes strict penalties: any man marrying a girl under 18 faces a minimum 15-year prison term and a fine of about $4,000.
Those involved in such marriages, including parents and ceremony attendees, may also be fined.
The U.S. Bureau of African Affairs praised the bill’s passage as a “significant milestone” in protecting girls and advancing robust human rights protections.
According to UNICEF, West and Central Africa has the highest prevalence of child marriage globally, with nearly 60 million child brides residing in the region.
An anonymous 21-year-old former child bride from Sierra Leone told Reuters that she was compelled into marriage at the age of 14.
With the introduction of the new law, she is now weighing the possibility of seeking legal recourse for an annulment.
Human Rights Watch researcher Betty Kabari emphasized that the legislation is expected to “interrupt the cycle of early marriage and its profound repercussions.”
She added, “It also paves the way for other African countries, like Tanzania and Zambia, to repeal laws that sanction child marriage.”