By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Authorities in Sierra Leone have passed a new legislation placing ban on child marriage, an event in the country’s capital, Freetown, which saw the First Lady, Fatima Bio celebrate with much fanfare.
Under the new law, anyone involved in the marriage of a girl under the age of 18 will be jailed for at least 15 years or fined around $4,000 (£3,200), or both.
As a patriarchal society, it is common for a father to give his daughter’s hand in marriage without her consent.
The ministry of health estimates that a third of girls are married off before they turn 18, accounting for the country’s high number of maternal deaths – among the highest in the world.
The new law also awards punishment to the groom, the parents or guardians of the child bride as well as those who attend the wedding.
The country’s First Lady has been at the forefront in campaigning against sexual abuse since her husband became President six years ago
The passage of the law few weeks ago by the parliament has attracted widespread commendation as well as media coverage.
The law dubbed, Prohibition of Child Marriage Act was assented to by President Julius Maada Bio.
President Julius Maada Bio’s eight-year old daughter was at the signing ceremony.
At the ceremony, President Bio said that his “motivation and commitment to empowering women and girls is firmly rooted in my personal life journey”.
The 60-year-old President explained how he had lost his father at an early age and had been brought up by his mother and later his elder sister who “supported and encouraged me to pursue my dreams to the best of my ability”.
He acknowledged his wife’s commitment to championing women’s rights: “Together, we want to build an empowered Sierra Leone where women are given an even platform to reach their full potential. I have always believed that the future of Sierra Leone is female.”
