By: Thaimu Bai Sesay
Marking another groundbreaking move towards the protection of Children in Sierra Leone, the Parliament of the Republic of Sierra Leone has on Thursday 20th June 2024 enacted the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2024, making below 18 years marriage of a crime punishable by a court of law.
The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2024 passed as a law by Parliament is a law that condemns the marriage of children, male and female, below the age of 18 years. The law also caters for the protection of victims of child marriage and also provides for other related matters.
This great cause was championed by Her Excellency Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone. It is part of her bigger campaign the “Hands Of Our Girls” which has made meaningful impact in Sierra Leone and the world at large. However, this legal move by the First Lady is not only to protect girls but boys as well.
During the debate of the bill in the well of Parliament, the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act attracted the attention of almost all the Members of Parliament, expressing greater interest to contribute to the successful enactment of the bill. The bill caught the attention of the Paramount Chiefs MPs, Opposition MPs and the Government MPs thereby referring it to a tripartite agreement.
Marking a very emotional moment in the well of Parliament, the Chief-Whip of the APC Members of Parliament Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara had to shed tears, as he was making his contributions to the bill.
Hon. AKK as he fondly called recounted how brilliant female students who were colleagues of him could not make it in life due to early pregnancy and child married. He recollected vivid images of situations that swept the whole House into emotions.
The Opposition Whip commended the First Lady, Madam Fatima Bio for championing such a good cause. He underscored the importance of the bill and how it would have to save the lives of children mostly female children from killing their dreams.
Hon. AKK therefore urged the House to swiftly pass the bill into law and protect the future of their children.
The youngest female Member of Parliament Hon. Sia Mahawa Tommy also recollects how early child marriage almost killed her aspirations. At a very tender age, the Hon. said she was brainwashed into believing that marriage was the only way out for a girl child. Hon. Tommy however revealed that based on her determination to make it in life she could not succumb but had to leave and today she is the youngest Honourable in the House of Representatives.
She expressed sympathy for some of her colleagues who went through the same encounters but could not make it like her.
The young Honorable expressed enormous thanks to Her Excellency Madam Fatima Bio, for not only the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2024, but for all her genuine contributions towards the liberation of girl child which had impacted her life.
The Hon. suggested for the establishment of shelters for children who may not succumb to child marriage and had to face the consequences of being disowned by their parents.
The law condemned not only child marriage but many other injustices related to the misusing of children. It condemned cohabitation of children below 18 years and provides rigid punishments for those that would be found to be wanting.
There are punishments against the parents for consenting and not reporting cases of cohabitation and also to the man perpetrating the act. The law also contains fines for people aiding and abetting child marriages as well as those attending underage marriage events.
