By Sulaiman Aruna Sesay
Parliament of Sierra Leone has last Thursday 20 June 2024, ushered in a new era for girls’ and boys’ with the recent passing of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act of 2024; a law aimed at protecting vulnerable youth and end the harmful practice of early child marriage.
The purpose of the bill is to provide protection for the victims of child marriage and all other related matters. The bill will also focus on the prohibition of child marriage in its entirety; co-habitation with the child, annulled child marriage, compensate victims of child marriage, protect victims, and makes miscellaneous provision for Statutory Instrument giving effect to the act.
According to United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund – UNICEF, child marriage is a global issue that affects millions of girls every year, with West and Central Africa having the highest rates of child marriage in the world. In Sierra Leone, approximately 39% of girls are married before they turn 18, and 13% are married before the age of 15.
During the enactment process of the bill, the Speaker of the House of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas, called on MPs to subject themselves to a mental picture or take a look at our girls under 18 and beginning to imagining subjecting such little children to marriage. He encouraged MPs to exercise this kind mental picture and they will know exactly what they are dealing with. He added that, it is happening all over the Sierra Leone where these little girls have no choice, no capacity to say no. “Some of them are going through pains of early marriage missing a whole lot of their childhood,” he said.
In her submission, Hon. Emilia Lollor Tongi, expressed thanks and appreciation to the Her Excellency, the First Lady, Dr Fatima Bio for her tremendous and relentless move in empowering girls and women of the country. She described the First Lady as a strong believer in women’s empowerment as key to a sustainable development. According to her, Mrs Bio’s flagship programme ‘Hands Off Our Girls’ campaign has reduced sexual violence and child marriage, further acknowledging the First Lady’s relentless efforts in advocating for the free sanitary pads in school whiles she champion the annual United Nations World Day for the Prevention and Healing from the Child Sexual Abuse and Violence. “We are grateful,” she said.
Speaking to parliament after the enactment of the bill, the leading MP of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act of 2024, Hon. Mariama Munia Zombo said, she is overwhelmed and as well cheerful for this particular day seeing the bill she worked so hard for come to actuality. She emphasized that, she has played her part for changing the lives of girls, women, and boys who is suffering in silence. She said, MPs demonstrated support in helping the First Lady actualized her dream.
The initiator and pioneer of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2024, Her Excellency the First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr Fatima Bio said, she was overwhelmed and very much happy for this day. She added that, the day was not about Fatima but for Sierra Leone. “They are not going to rape me,” she said. According to her, if you want to rape her, you have to dig your grave first before you come for her. She explained how grateful she was to share the chamber with the speaker and also praised the speaker for his passion in promoting women in the country. She thanked everyone in the house that helped the bill become a law.
