Sierra Leone made a historic move on Tuesday by officially putting an end to child marriage.
The President, Julius Maada Bio gave his assent to the law that puts an end to this widespread practice.
The hope is that this new law will step up the protection for girls in Sierra Leone, where about a third of them tie the knot before hitting 18.
This early marriage situation contributes to a higher risk of maternal deaths due to the physical dangers they encounter during pregnancy, as per the health ministry.
The law stipulates that any man who marries a girl under the age of 18 could face at least 15 years imprisonment and a fine of around $4,000.
Parents or those attending such marriage ceremonies are also not left out as they could also face fines.
The U.S. Bureau of African Affairs received the bill passing, calling it a “major milestone that not only shields girls but also boosts strong human rights safeguards.”
In West and Central Africa, child marriage is sadly very common, with nearly 60 million child brides calling it home, according to UNICEF, the U.N. children’s agency.
A 21-year-old Sierra Leonean ex-child bride, who preferred to keep her identity hidden, shared with Reuters that she was pushed into marriage at 14 and is now contemplating taking legal action since the new law allows her to seek an annulment.
Human Rights Watch researcher Betty Kabari emphasized that this law should “put an end to the cycle of early marriage and its harmful effects” and pave the way for other African countries like Tanzania and Zambia to scrap laws allowing child marriage.
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