Sierra Leone's Parliament has passed a landmark bill criminalizing child marriage, with penalties of up to 15 years in prison for men who marry children.

The legislation, known as the Prohibition of Child Marriage Bill 2024, aims to protect children's rights and ensure access to education and support services for young girls affected by child marriage. This move comes in response to the country's high rates of child marriage, with 800,000 child brides reported, half of whom were married before the age of 15, according to a 2019 UNICEF report.

The bill has been celebrated as a significant step forward in ending child marriage in Sierra Leone and has been championed by activists and organizations like Save the Children.