According to an Al Jazeera report, child marriage in Sierra Leone is on the rise amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic continues to bite hard on worldwide economies, and the West African country is not an exception.
Many families in Sierra Leone live in languishing poverty. Consequently, they consider marrying off their children at an early age as a scapegoat from poverty.
In a recent report by Al Jazeera, they interviewed a 16-year-old girl, Marie Kamara. The young girl consented to be married off to a man in his mid-twenties. In exchange, the man offered to provide for her younger sisters and access to his watering hole as part of his marriage proposal.
Kamara’s stepfather, a tailor, has said that the pandemic has affected his job, driving him and his family into deeper poverty.
Statistics
United Nations (UN) defines child marriage as a marriage of a girl or boy before 18.
In 2017 research sponsored by various UN agencies, 39 percent of girls in Sierra Leone were married before 18 years, while another 13 percent were married before reaching their 15th birthday.
The statistics showed a decrease in the number of child marriages before reaching 18 years, which was at 56 percent in 2006. However, child marriage rates have since surged since schools were closed in March.
Between 2016 and 2017, a similar surge was experienced when the Ebola virus disease significantly hit the country.
Reasons for child marriages
Poverty, worsened by the Coronavirus pandemic, is a leading cause of child marriages in Sierra Leone. The country is among the world’s poorest countries. As in the case of Kamara, poverty drove her to give consent to be married off.
Secondly, cultural practice or rather a tradition is a contributing factor. Isata Dumbaya, an activist, told Al Jazeera that the parents see child marriage as usual since they were also married off at an early age. She adds that the parents see it as “a better investment” for their child.
Hands off Our Girls Campaign
Sierra Leone’s first lady, Fatima Maada Bio, hopes to rewrite the child marriage narrative through the Hands of Our Girls Campaign.
Fatima states a child does not give consent to sex. Consequently, she views child marriage as “legalizing rape” on the children.
Unenforced Legislations in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone has ratified and agreed to implement various international legislation on child marriage, but it does less to live up to the agreements.
In 2019, during the Nairobi Summit on ICPD25, Sierra Leone committed to enacting Child Marriage Bill’s Prohibition to criminalize all types of child marriages by the end of 2020. Contrarily, we are soon approaching the end of 2020, yet the country has no substantial legislation to enforce the latter.
Coronavirus pandemic can be a significant contributing factor. However, it is essential to note that the vice has been around for more than a decade. The country should continue to do more, just as before the pandemic.
UN estimates that the hardship resulting from the pandemic will drive 13 million girls to marry before turning 18.
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