“Fatshimetrie: A step forward for children’s rights in Sierra Leone”
Sierra Leone’s Parliament recently approved a law banning child marriage, a move hailed by activists as a major victory for children’s rights. This new legislation aims to criminalize the marriage of girls under the age of 18, with prison sentences of up to 15 years for offenders.
The statistics are alarming. According to UNICEF, a third of all girls are married before their 18th birthday in the West African country. With 800,000 children forced into marriage, 400,000 of whom were married before the age of 15, Sierra Leone faces a significant child marriage crisis.
Poverty is often at the origin of these forced marriages. Many girls are forced to abandon their studies due to economic constraints. Their families, seeking to improve their financial situation or repay debts, forcefully marry them, thus compromising their future and well-being.
The adoption of this new law is an essential step towards protecting the rights of children in Sierra Leone. By criminalizing child marriage and providing harsh penalties for offenders, the government is sending a strong message that early marriages will no longer be tolerated.
However, law enforcement remains a crucial step. It is essential to raise awareness and educate the population on the importance of protecting children from forced marriages. Efforts must be made to strengthen protection and prevention mechanisms, and to support child victims of early marriage.
Ultimately, this law demonstrates Sierra Leone’s desire to end harmful practices that jeopardize the future of its youth. Hopefully it will pave the way for other measures to ensure the welfare and protection of children across the country.