Sierra Leone's parliament has approved a new law banning child marriage.
Now, one risks imprisonment for up to 15 years or a fine equivalent to 21,000 kronor if one marries a person under the age of 18.
This is a historic moment and an extraordinary success for children across Sierra Leone who have fought for their rights, says Patrick Analo, Save the Children's country director in Sierra Leone.
Girls who marry young are not only robbed of their childhood, they are robbed of their future, he continues.
In the West African country, a third of all girls marry before their 18th birthday. There are over 800,000 child brides in the country, of whom 400,000 were married before the age of 15, according to Unicef.
Child marriages have, however, slowly decreased in Sierra Leone.
The bill is yet to be signed by President Julius Maada Bio.
