69:
11." Young girls that forced into the rebel forces, especially, were raped by their male soldier counterparts, resulting in a marginalized group of young women during the post-civil war period with children born out of rape. In post-civil war Sierra Leone, the ramifications of wartime sexual abuse have manifested in the difficulty of girl mothers acquiring spouses. Culturally, prior to marriage, girls are expected to be virgins, but with the sexual abuse that was present during wartime, now-girl mothers are finding issues with finding husbands that will marry them despite no longer being virgins. Girl mothers in the post-civil war era have also experienced difficulty acquiring partners not only due to cultural perceptions of purity, but due to civil war political alignment. Though many girls were forced into the rebel forces, either as wives or soldiers, after the war, these girls experience difficulty in acquiring partners due to their previous association with the
Revolutionary United Front. These social and political stigmas create problems for girl mothers in Sierra Leone that may seek marriage as a means of acquiring economic resources and stability from their partners.
110:
utilized in the program include emphasizing the importance of education to local young women, as well as advocacy for legal prohibition of child marriage in the countries that the program takes place. The program is also publicly supported by a number of nations and organizations, including "the
Governments of Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom and the European Union, as well as Zonta International." This particular campaign targets the lack of awareness of women's legal rights in rural areas of Sierra Leone. Because of the lack of funding of Sierra Leone's justice system, a viable presence of formal laws often does not extend into the country's most rural areas.
1172:
82:
the enactment of the 2007 Child Rights Act, along with its Child
Welfare Committees, the government of Sierra Leone has been condemned for not actively targeting the institution of child marriage in rural communities. Scholar Allard K. Lowenstein of the International Human Rights Clinic of Yale Law School has argued that socioeconomic conditions brought about by the systemic poverty in Sierra Leone further exacerbate the prevalence of child marriage.
33:
legal marriage is able to take place. If the consent of the parents is not able to be achieved, "a
Magistrate or Local Government Chief Administrator of the locality in which the marriage is to take place" is able to provide their consent to verify the marriage. In accordance with customary tradition, child marriages are often the result of unions arranged by the parents of the young bride.
109:
International NGOs UNFPA and UNICEF, in 2016, first announced their joint 'Global
Programme to End Child Marriage.' In the program, both organizations have committed themselves to stop child marriages in what they deem as the 12 highest risk nations for child marriage, including Sierra Leone. Tactics
68:
The Sierra
Leonean Civil War left girls subject to sexual harassment and abuse. The African Child Policy Forum cites that throughout the civil war and at multiple war zones, "more than 70 per cent of the reported sexual violence were girls under 18, and more than 20 per cent of those were girls under
55:
In terms of prevalence based on geographic location, the practice varies, but child marriage is most common in "the northern and eastern districts of Sierra Leone, lower in the south, and lowest in the capital, Freetown." The institution of child marriage continues to be an acceptable practice in the
16:
UNICEF's Early
Marriage: A Harmful Traditional Practice report characterizes child marriage as a harmful institution that often exposes young women in developing nations to damaging domestic, health, and sexual conditions. The report also highlights the practice as a human rights violation. In World
28:
major child marriage legislation is the 2007 Child Rights Act, which states that the minimum age of betrothal/marriage is eighteen years old. The act also commits the country to the elimination of the forced marriage of girls. It rejects the customary practices of betrothal and marriage for minors,
81:
In order to establish what the
African Child Policy Forum identifies as a "formal child protection system", the Sierra Leonean government, with its 2007 Child Rights Act, initiated Child Welfare Committees which authorized the government the ability to enforce state protection of children. Despite
64:
With Sierra Leone's civil war, many young girls were conscripted into being child soldiers. Organization Girls Not Brides contends that due to the presence of female child soldiers in Sierra Leone, it may have aided in cultural perceptions of young girls as being mentally capable of marriage, with
32:
According to Sierra
Leonean customary law, a marriage is not considered a valid customary marriage unless both parties are at least 18 years old, with the Customary Marriage and Divorce Act dictating this in 2007. However, in the case that a minor's parents are able to give consent to the union, a
85:
In 2013, during the twenty-fourth session of the United
Nations Human Rights Council General Assembly, Sierra Leone formally committed itself to "preventing" and "eliminating" child marriage in the country to the international community.
96:
In July 2024, a bill that bans child marriage in Sierra Leone has been signed into law. It It criminalizes marrying any girl who is under 18 years old. Offenders face up to 15 years in prison or a fine of around $ 4,000 or both.
77:
Due to the country's civil war, many government branches and agencies have been left with insufficient funding and human capital needed to address many of the systemic issues that the country faces, including child marriage.
21:
on girls, noting that many girls are forced to stop their schooling as a result of their marriages. With the denial of education, girl brides are often not able to make income as adults or become politically active citizens.
105:
Because Sierra Leone is one of the most high-risk countries for child marriage, a number of different non-governmental organizations have dedicated programming in Sierra Leone to combat child marriage.
514:
37:
757:
681:
1088:
552:"United Nations - Sustainable Development Goals: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development - Advanced Draft Report on Adaption of the Goals in Sierra Leone"
1260:
1459:
1312:
1300:
525:
1250:
1134:
1209:
762:
674:
1517:
1295:
647:
488:
337:
259:
985:
1156:
1124:
1606:
1388:
1469:
1270:
1161:
1081:
752:
667:
40:
2013 report, 18% of Sierra Leonean women are married by the age of 15, while 44% of them are married by the age of 18. As of 2017,
275:
130:
1616:
1417:
1194:
221:
162:
579:
65:
the justification being that since they were capable to physically engage in armed conflict, they could handle being married.
1332:
1322:
1199:
897:
722:
1454:
1327:
927:
817:
90:
17:
Vision's "Before She's Ready: 15 Places Girls Marry by 15", the organization highlights the socioeconomic consequences of
1139:
777:
1611:
1527:
1489:
1439:
1398:
1280:
1219:
1171:
1129:
1074:
1052:
1048:
857:
1621:
1479:
1358:
1008:
812:
611:
1044:
922:
1444:
1307:
1275:
967:
787:
732:
717:
990:
907:
872:
842:
737:
1474:
1449:
1403:
1317:
1285:
1265:
1204:
1182:
937:
917:
887:
862:
727:
503:
ACPF (2014). The African Report on Violence Against Children. Addis Ababa: The African Child Policy Forum (ACPF).
464:
ACPF (2014). The African Report on Violence Against Children. Addis Ababa: The African Child Policy Forum (ACPF).
942:
767:
1494:
1484:
1429:
1238:
1224:
1036:
1032:
1024:
1016:
957:
952:
902:
877:
867:
832:
827:
782:
747:
707:
702:
551:
962:
892:
847:
807:
797:
1012:
837:
802:
792:
772:
712:
1571:
1509:
1393:
1363:
1346:
1255:
1151:
1119:
1106:
932:
882:
822:
742:
394:
1532:
1464:
1383:
1146:
947:
852:
1580:
1552:
1547:
1542:
1499:
1214:
222:"The Registration of Customary Marriage and Divorce Act 2007 | Sierra Leone Legal Information Institute"
1537:
1375:
1368:
1114:
640:
Before their time: Challenges to Implementing the Prohibition Against Child Marriage in Sierra Leone
481:
Before their time: Challenges to Implementing the Prohibition Against Child Marriage in Sierra Leone
330:
Before their time: Challenges to Implementing the Prohibition Against Child Marriage in Sierra Leone
252:
Before their time: Challenges to Implementing the Prohibition Against Child Marriage in Sierra Leone
1585:
1522:
1290:
304:
196:"The Child Right Act, 2007: Supplement to the Sierra Leone Gazette Extraordinary Vol. CXXXVIII"
643:
484:
441:
422:
414:
360:
333:
255:
406:
580:"Sierra Leone outlaws child marriage, and even witnesses to such weddings will be punished"
89:
In 2016, Sierra Leone's Ministry of Finance and Economic Development in its United Nations
395:"Marginalization of girl mothers during reintegration from armed groups in Sierra Leone"
47:
In July 2024, a bill that bans child marriage in Sierra Leone has been signed into law.
283:
138:
18:
550:
Government of Sierra Leone, Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (July 2016).
93:
report, committed itself to eliminating all forms of child marriage by the year 2030.
1600:
410:
229:
1097:
41:
25:
44:
was ranked by UNICEF as the 19th nation for the highest rates of child marriage.
195:
364:
418:
513:
United Nations General Assembly, Human Rights Council (September 25, 2013).
659:
426:
1066:
354:
276:"The State of the World's Children 2013: Children with Disabilities"
442:"Sierra Leone - Child Marriage Around The World. Girls Not Brides"
101:
Non-novernmental organizations' commitments against child marriage
1070:
663:
29:
and orders that such practices may not be forced upon minors.
1170:
515:"Human Rights Council Twenty-fourth session: Agenda item 3"
60:
Impacts of the Sierra Leonean Civil War on child marriages
612:"UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to End Child Marriage"
359:. Annick Press. pp. 81, 256–258, 260, 262, 264.
1508:
1416:
1345:
1237:
1181:
1105:
999:
976:
695:
559:
UN Sustainable Development Goals Knowledge Platform
163:"Before She's Ready: 15 places girls marry by 15"
100:
131:"Early Marriage: A Harmful Traditional Practice"
73:Governmental commitments against child marriage
1082:
675:
8:
1422:
1351:
1243:
1187:
1089:
1075:
1067:
682:
668:
660:
1130:Sierra Leone in World War II (1939–1945)
56:rural cities and towns of Sierra Leone.
119:
36:As stated by UNICEF's The State of the
633:
631:
474:
472:
470:
606:
604:
602:
600:
388:
386:
384:
382:
380:
378:
376:
374:
7:
216:
214:
212:
190:
188:
186:
157:
155:
125:
123:
172:. World Vision International. 2008
14:
642:. Yale Law School. pp. 6–7.
483:. Yale Law School. pp. 6–7.
393:Burman, M. E.; McKay, S. (2007).
332:. Yale Law School. pp. 6–7.
254:. Yale Law School. pp. 6–7.
170:Save the Children Resource Centre
986:Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
758:Democratic Republic of the Congo
411:10.1111/j.1466-7657.2007.00546.x
51:Prevalence by geographic region
1135:Early independence (1961–1978)
1:
91:Sustainable Development Goals
399:International Nursing Review
818:Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire)
638:Lowenstein, Allard (2013).
479:Lowenstein, Allard (2013).
328:Lowenstein, Allard (2013).
250:Lowenstein, Allard (2013).
1638:
1301:Chief of the Defence Staff
1125:British colony (1787–1961)
1607:Child marriage by country
1565:
1460:Female genital mutilation
1425:
1354:
1246:
1190:
1168:
1157:2014 Ebola virus epidemic
1251:Administrative divisions
753:Central African Republic
690:Child marriage in Africa
353:Kamara, Mariatu (2008).
1617:Society of Sierra Leone
738:Cape Verde (Cabo Verde)
1175:
1215:Upper Guinean forests
1174:
1147:Civil War (1991–2002)
898:São Tomé and Príncipe
763:Republic of the Congo
356:The Bite of the Mango
1115:Atlantic slave trade
531:on December 18, 2020
205:. September 3, 2007.
203:The Sierra Leone Web
1612:Childhood in Africa
977:States with limited
440:Brides, Girls Not.
1622:Marriage in Africa
1389:Telecommunications
1176:
1594:
1593:
1561:
1560:
1470:Human trafficking
1412:
1411:
1341:
1340:
1313:Political parties
1271:Foreign relations
1233:
1232:
1162:COVID-19 pandemic
1064:
1063:
1057:
1041:
1029:
1021:
1002:other territories
778:Equatorial Guinea
649:978-0-9565219-9-6
490:978-0-9565219-9-6
339:978-0-9565219-9-6
261:978-0-9565219-9-6
1629:
1574:
1423:
1379:
1352:
1244:
1200:Cities and towns
1188:
1091:
1084:
1077:
1068:
1056:(United Kingdom)
1055:
1053:Tristan da Cunha
1049:Ascension Island
1039:
1027:
1019:
1000:Dependencies and
696:Sovereign states
684:
677:
670:
661:
654:
653:
635:
626:
625:
623:
622:
608:
595:
594:
592:
590:
576:
570:
569:
567:
565:
556:
547:
541:
540:
538:
536:
530:
524:. Archived from
522:Girls Not Brides
519:
510:
504:
501:
495:
494:
476:
465:
462:
456:
455:
453:
452:
446:Girls Not Brides
437:
431:
430:
390:
369:
368:
350:
344:
343:
325:
319:
318:
316:
315:
305:"Child marriage"
301:
295:
294:
292:
291:
282:. Archived from
272:
266:
265:
247:
241:
240:
238:
237:
228:. Archived from
218:
207:
206:
200:
192:
181:
180:
178:
177:
167:
159:
150:
149:
147:
146:
137:. Archived from
127:
38:World's Children
1637:
1636:
1632:
1631:
1630:
1628:
1627:
1626:
1597:
1596:
1595:
1590:
1577:
1570:
1557:
1504:
1408:
1377:
1337:
1291:Law enforcement
1229:
1210:Protected areas
1177:
1166:
1152:2002 to present
1101:
1095:
1065:
1060:
1001:
995:
978:
972:
691:
688:
658:
657:
650:
637:
636:
629:
620:
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610:
609:
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588:
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561:
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517:
512:
511:
507:
502:
498:
491:
478:
477:
468:
463:
459:
450:
448:
439:
438:
434:
392:
391:
372:
352:
351:
347:
340:
327:
326:
322:
313:
311:
303:
302:
298:
289:
287:
274:
273:
269:
262:
249:
248:
244:
235:
233:
220:
219:
210:
198:
194:
193:
184:
175:
173:
165:
161:
160:
153:
144:
142:
129:
128:
121:
116:
103:
75:
62:
53:
12:
11:
5:
1635:
1633:
1625:
1624:
1619:
1614:
1609:
1599:
1598:
1592:
1591:
1589:
1588:
1583:
1576:
1575:
1567:
1566:
1563:
1562:
1559:
1558:
1556:
1555:
1550:
1545:
1540:
1535:
1530:
1525:
1520:
1514:
1512:
1506:
1505:
1503:
1502:
1497:
1492:
1487:
1482:
1477:
1472:
1467:
1462:
1457:
1452:
1447:
1442:
1437:
1435:Child marriage
1432:
1426:
1420:
1414:
1413:
1410:
1409:
1407:
1406:
1401:
1396:
1391:
1386:
1381:
1373:
1372:
1371:
1361:
1355:
1349:
1343:
1342:
1339:
1338:
1336:
1335:
1333:Vice-President
1330:
1325:
1320:
1315:
1310:
1305:
1304:
1303:
1293:
1288:
1283:
1278:
1273:
1268:
1263:
1261:Chief Minister
1258:
1253:
1247:
1241:
1235:
1234:
1231:
1230:
1228:
1227:
1222:
1217:
1212:
1207:
1202:
1197:
1191:
1185:
1179:
1178:
1169:
1167:
1165:
1164:
1159:
1154:
1149:
1144:
1143:
1142:
1132:
1127:
1122:
1117:
1111:
1109:
1103:
1102:
1100: articles
1096:
1094:
1093:
1086:
1079:
1071:
1062:
1061:
1059:
1058:
1042:
1030:
1022:
1009:Canary Islands
1005:
1003:
997:
996:
994:
993:
988:
982:
980:
974:
973:
971:
970:
965:
960:
955:
950:
945:
940:
935:
930:
925:
920:
915:
910:
905:
900:
895:
890:
885:
880:
875:
870:
865:
860:
855:
850:
845:
840:
835:
830:
825:
820:
815:
810:
805:
800:
795:
790:
785:
780:
775:
770:
765:
760:
755:
750:
745:
740:
735:
730:
725:
720:
715:
710:
705:
699:
697:
693:
692:
689:
687:
686:
679:
672:
664:
656:
655:
648:
627:
616:www.unicef.org
596:
571:
542:
505:
496:
489:
466:
457:
432:
405:(4): 316–323.
370:
345:
338:
320:
296:
267:
260:
242:
208:
182:
151:
118:
117:
115:
112:
102:
99:
74:
71:
61:
58:
52:
49:
26:Sierra Leone's
19:child marriage
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1634:
1623:
1620:
1618:
1615:
1613:
1610:
1608:
1605:
1604:
1602:
1587:
1584:
1582:
1579:
1578:
1573:
1569:
1568:
1564:
1554:
1551:
1549:
1546:
1544:
1541:
1539:
1536:
1534:
1531:
1529:
1526:
1524:
1521:
1519:
1516:
1515:
1513:
1511:
1507:
1501:
1498:
1496:
1493:
1491:
1488:
1486:
1483:
1481:
1478:
1476:
1473:
1471:
1468:
1466:
1463:
1461:
1458:
1456:
1455:Ethnic groups
1453:
1451:
1448:
1446:
1443:
1441:
1438:
1436:
1433:
1431:
1428:
1427:
1424:
1421:
1419:
1415:
1405:
1402:
1400:
1397:
1395:
1392:
1390:
1387:
1385:
1382:
1380:
1374:
1370:
1367:
1366:
1365:
1362:
1360:
1357:
1356:
1353:
1350:
1348:
1344:
1334:
1331:
1329:
1328:Supreme Court
1326:
1324:
1323:Special Court
1321:
1319:
1316:
1314:
1311:
1309:
1306:
1302:
1299:
1298:
1297:
1294:
1292:
1289:
1287:
1284:
1282:
1279:
1277:
1274:
1272:
1269:
1267:
1264:
1262:
1259:
1257:
1254:
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1248:
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1242:
1240:
1236:
1226:
1223:
1221:
1218:
1216:
1213:
1211:
1208:
1206:
1203:
1201:
1198:
1196:
1193:
1192:
1189:
1186:
1184:
1180:
1173:
1163:
1160:
1158:
1155:
1153:
1150:
1148:
1145:
1141:
1138:
1137:
1136:
1133:
1131:
1128:
1126:
1123:
1121:
1118:
1116:
1113:
1112:
1110:
1108:
1104:
1099:
1092:
1087:
1085:
1080:
1078:
1073:
1072:
1069:
1054:
1050:
1046:
1043:
1038:
1034:
1031:
1026:
1023:
1018:
1014:
1010:
1007:
1006:
1004:
998:
992:
989:
987:
984:
983:
981:
975:
969:
966:
964:
961:
959:
956:
954:
951:
949:
946:
944:
941:
939:
936:
934:
931:
929:
926:
924:
921:
919:
916:
914:
911:
909:
906:
904:
901:
899:
896:
894:
891:
889:
886:
884:
881:
879:
876:
874:
871:
869:
866:
864:
861:
859:
856:
854:
851:
849:
846:
844:
841:
839:
836:
834:
831:
829:
826:
824:
821:
819:
816:
814:
813:Guinea-Bissau
811:
809:
806:
804:
801:
799:
796:
794:
791:
789:
786:
784:
781:
779:
776:
774:
771:
769:
766:
764:
761:
759:
756:
754:
751:
749:
746:
744:
741:
739:
736:
734:
731:
729:
726:
724:
721:
719:
716:
714:
711:
709:
706:
704:
701:
700:
698:
694:
685:
680:
678:
673:
671:
666:
665:
662:
651:
645:
641:
634:
632:
628:
617:
613:
607:
605:
603:
601:
597:
585:
581:
575:
572:
560:
553:
546:
543:
527:
523:
516:
509:
506:
500:
497:
492:
486:
482:
475:
473:
471:
467:
461:
458:
447:
443:
436:
433:
428:
424:
420:
416:
412:
408:
404:
400:
396:
389:
387:
385:
383:
381:
379:
377:
375:
371:
366:
362:
358:
357:
349:
346:
341:
335:
331:
324:
321:
310:
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