Banjul/Abuja, 25 June 2026 — The ECOWAS Court of Justice has ordered Sierra Leone to pay a $10,000 fine as compensation to a victim of child marriage, delivering a landmark judgment that condemns the state’s failure to protect young girls from the practice and its devastating effects.
The ruling, delivered on Thursday, stems from a case filed in February 2024 by the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA) and AdvocAid Limited. It centres on a girl who was married off at the age of 11 in 2017. The marriage subjected her to abuse and led to her conviction in 2021 for the murder of her co-wife’s child. She spent four years in detention before receiving a presidential pardon in August 2025.
In a strongly worded decision, the Court ruled that Sierra Leone failed to prevent the child marriage, did not investigate the violation despite clear evidence, and neglected its duty to protect the girl from gender-based violence.
The $10,000 compensation award serves as a direct financial penalty on the Sierra Leonean government for its shortcomings. In addition, the Court ordered the state to implement legal and institutional reforms, prosecute those responsible for the minor’s marriage, and provide the victim with psychological counselling and rehabilitation.
Welcoming the judgment, AbdulMalik Bello of IHRDA called it “a victory not only for the minor in the instant case but for every girl at risk of child marriage in the region.” Willetta Hughes, Legal Manager at AdvocAid, added: “This judgment sends a clear message that protecting girls requires more than strong laws — it requires action.”
The decision comes after Sierra Leone passed the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (2024) and the Child Rights Act (2025), both of which outlaw child marriage. Analysts say the $10,000 fine and accompanying orders highlight the critical need for proper enforcement and accountability in West Africa, where child marriage persists due to cultural, religious, and socio-economic factors.
Rights groups hail the ruling as a significant precedent in regional jurisprudence, emphasising that states cannot remain passive on child marriage. IHRDA and AdvocAid pledged to monitor compliance with the Court’s orders and continue advocating for stronger protection of girls across the region.
