Sierra Leone bans child marriages

Estimates by Unicef suggest that a third of all girls marrying in Zimbabwe are under 18, and five percent probably under 15 with the percentages rising in the northern provinces. Although those estimates are based on 2024 data, few consider the numbers have been more than moderately reduced over the last couple of years.

FREETOWN. — A bill that bans child marriages in Sierra Leone has been signed into law, President Julius Maada Bio said on Tuesday, in an effort to protect girls in the West African nation where about a third are married before adulthood.

The law is being celebrated widely. It criminalises marrying any girl who is under 18 years old. Offenders face up to 15 years in prison or a fine of around US$4 000 or both. Witnesses to such marriages will also face jail or a fine.

“I have always believed that the future of Sierra Leone is female,” Bio said on social media platform X. “This and future generations of girls must thrive in Sierra Leone in which they’re protected, equal and empowered.”

Sierra Leone is home to 800 000 child brides, with half of them married before age 15, according to the UN children’s agency.

First Lady Fatima Bio was among the key champions of the law that also provides improved access to education and support services for children affected by child marriage. – AP