Sierra Leone Signs Child Marriage Ban Into Law

Sierra Leone has signed into law a bill that bans child marriage. This was disclosed on Tuesday by Sierra Leone’s President, Julius Maada Bio.

This comes after the Prohibition of Child Marriage Bill 2024 was unanimously passed by the parliament in June. The new law is a welcome development for Africa, particularly in West Africa, where about a third of women are married before age 18.

The new law criminalises marriage to any girl less than 18 years of age. Offenders will face up to 15 years of prison sentence, a fine of $4,000, or both. Anyone who witnesses child marriages will also face a prison sentence or a fine.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child both define a child as a person below the age of 18.

In a post on X, President Bio said, “I have always believed that the future of Sierra Leone is female.

“This and future generations of girls must thrive in Sierra Leone where they’re protected, equal and empowered.”

In Sierra Leone, there are about 800,000 child brides; half of them married before they turned 15, according to the United Nations children agency.

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