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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Gambia in West Africa passes law banning child marriage

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Gambia, a small country in West Africa, passed a law banning child marriage and introduced heavy jail terms for anyone who breaks the new rules.

Under the new law, a man who marries an underage girl will face 20 years in jail, her parents will get 21 years and an iman who presides over the marriage will also face time in prison.

The law also states that anyone who is aware of the marriage of a girl under the age of 18 but fails to report it can be put away for 10 years.

President Yahya Jammeh announced plans to push through the new law earlier this month, having previously said that the practice was not required under Islam — the religion of around 95 percent of the country's 1.8 million population.

"This bill seeks to discourage the languishing practice in our society by criminalising child marriage. It is envisaged that this law will serve as a deterrent to prospective offenders," Attorney General and Justice Minister Mama Fatima Singhateh told parliament.

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