Sierra Leonean women are in high spirit as parliament unanimously passed a bill prohibiting child marriage in the country.
The Prohibition of Child Marriage Bill 2024, passed last Thursday, seeks to criminalise the act of entering into a union with a boy or girl under the age of 18.
The bill also makes provisions for penalties for offenders, protecting victims’ rights, and ensuring access to education and support services for young children affected by early child marriage.
Sierra Leone has one of the highest child marriage, early pregnancy, and maternal mortality rates in the world.
According to the country’s health ministry, about one-third of girls in the country are married before the age of 18, with another third giving birth before the age of 19.
