Gambia Goes Tough On Child Marriage, 21Years Imprisonment For Parents

Seven months after criminalising female circumcision, Gambia on Thursday went a step further, in the protection of girls, by passing a law banning child marriage. The small West African country prescribed heavy jail terms for anyone who breaks the new law.

Under the new law, a man who marries an underage girl gets 20 years jail term, her parents would get 21 years and the Imam, who presides over the marriage, likewise faces time in prison.

The law also made it a crime for anyone, who is aware of the marriage of a girl under the age of 18, but fails to report it. The penalty is10 years imprisonment.

President Yahya Jammeh had earlier this month said the practice of child marriage had was not Islamic. 95 percent of the country’s 1.8 million population are Muslims.

“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 yesterday.

In December 2015, legislators had passed a bill prohibiting female circumcision and introducing prison terms of up to three years for infringements.