A bill prohibiting child marriage in Sierra Leone has been signed into law, President Julius Maada Bio announced late Tuesday, July 2, 2024. This legislation aims to protect girls in the West African nation, where approximately one-third are married before reaching adulthood.
The new law, which has been widely celebrated, criminalizes marrying any girl under the age of 18. Offenders face up to 15 years in prison, a fine of approximately $4,000, or both. Additionally, witnesses to such marriages will also be subject to imprisonment or fines.
“I have always believed that the future of Sierra Leone is female,” Bio stated on the social media platform X. “This and future generations of girls must thrive in a 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 the age of 15, according to the U.N. Children’s Agency.
First Lady Fatima Bio was a key advocate for the law, which also aims to provide improved access to education and support services for children affected by child marriage. When the bill was passed by parliament as a bipartisan effort in June, she hailed it as “a significant step forward in protecting the rights of our next generation.”
(AP)
