By Ishmael Dumbuya
Save the Children International Sierra Leone, has welcomed the criminalisation of child marriage in Sierra Leone, noting that it’s a journey they started a long time ago.
The government passed a historic bill to ban child marriage after Save the Children and other like-minded organisations, together with Sierra Leones’s First Lady Fatima Bio, joined a campaign to criminalise the widespread practice.
The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2024 seeks to criminalise the act of marrying or entering into a union with a child under the age of 18. It includes provisions for enforcing penalties on offenders, protecting victims’ rights, and ensuring access to education and support services for young girls affected by early child marriage.
In an interview with Concord Times, the Advocacy Campaign and Communication Manager at Save the Children, Esther Elliot Nyuma, expressed delight for the prohibition of child marriage, adding that they have come a long way to ensuring that girls’ rights are safeguarded and protected.
“Save the Children was part of the technical working group initiated by First Lady Fatima Bio on the abolition of child marriage in Sierra Leone,” she said.
She went on to state that child marriage has been a serious problem in Sierra Leone, where 30 percent of girls are married before 18, with even higher rates in rural areas.
She added that the new law prohibits all forms of child marriage and cohabitation with a child, including aiding and abetting, protects the best interests of children, and ensures affected girls have access to counselling and safeguarding.
“The law amends existing legislations, including the Child Rights and Registration of Customary Marriage Acts, to harmonise the legal framework on marriage and break the cycle of early marriage and its devastating consequences,” she mentioned.
Ms. Nyuma underscored the importance of raising awareness, particularly in rural areas, about the new law and the harmful effects of child marriage, adding that government should also address other prevalent harmful practices linked to child marriage.
She said government should collaborate with local communities, nongovernmental groups, and international organizations to publicly campaign against the harms associated with child marriage, also providing support to victims of child marriage and those at the risk of child marriage.
She said Save the Children has for a very long time been collaborating with the government to criminalise child marriage.
“Nevertheless, the Bill was enacted at the right time,” she emphasised.
She said the immediate next step for SCI is awareness raising, especially in rural communities, re-echoing the children’s call for enacting the Child Right Act during the time President Bio was officially consenting the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act.
Ms. Nyuma acknowledged the efforts of the First Lady through her ‘Hands off Our Girls’ campaign, highlighting that the campaign served as a springboard for the prohibition of child marriage in Sierra Leone.
She continued that child marriage is rooted in cultural norms, which is why they have been working with traditional leaders and village stakeholders to help raise awareness of the effects of child marriage.
“The prohibition of child marriage is a big win for the children of Sierra Leone,” she stressed, noting that “It is not about taking pride for the success of the marriage prohibition Act but the protection of children”.
She indicated that Save the Children will help the government in raising awareness, particularly in rural areas, about the new law and the harmful effects of child marriage.
Ms. Nyuma concluded that Save the Children has worked with First Lady Fatima Maada Bio, the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, and other organizations to end child marriage in the country.
According to a statement from the Office of the First Lady, the Bill will address enforcement challenges by establishing penalties for violations and calling upon community leaders to actively support its implementation.
By strengthening existing laws and enhancing their enforcement, the Bill seeks to create a more protective environment for children, particularly girls.
