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MenEngage Africa welcomes the official ban on child marriages in Sierra Leone. President Julius Maada Bio signed into law the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act on Tuesday, 2 July 2024, at a signing ceremony organized by First Lady Fatima Bio in Freetown. The First Lady Bio’s "Hands Off Our Girls" campaign has been instrumental in advocating against child marriage in Sierra Leone.
Under this new law, any man who marries a girl under the age of 18 faces a penalty of at least 15 years in prison and a fine of about four thousand US dollars. The law also prohibits cohabitation with a child, and any person arranging, aiding or attending such marriage ceremonies is liable for a fine. Sierra Leone has one of the highest rates of child marriages in Africa, alongside Niger and Nigeria. According to the 2019 Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Surveys, 30% of girls in Sierra Leone are married before their 18th birthday.
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