Freetown, Sierra Leone – President Julius Maada Bio announced late Tuesday that Sierra Leone has enacted a law banning child marriage, a significant move in a country where about a third of girls are married before reaching adulthood.

The new law, celebrated widely across the nation, criminalizes the marriage of any girl under 18 years old. Offenders face penalties of up to 15 years in prison or a fine of around $4,000, or both. Witnesses to such marriages are also subject to imprisonment or fines.

“I have always believed that the future of Sierra Leone is female,” Bio stated on the social media platform X. “This and future generations of girls must thrive in Sierra Leone in which they’re protected, equal, and empowered.”

The United Nations Children’s Agency reports that Sierra Leone is home to 800,000 child brides, with half of them married before the age of 15. The new law aims to significantly reduce these numbers and protect the rights of young girls.

First Lady Fatima Bio has been a prominent advocate for the legislation, which also includes provisions for improved access to education and support services for children affected by child marriage. Upon the bill’s passage by parliament in June, she called it “a significant step forward in protecting the rights of our next generation.”

The legislation marks a critical milestone in Sierra Leone’s efforts to uphold the rights and wellbeing of girls, aiming to create a safer and more equitable future for all children in the country.