By Sulaiman Jalloh

During the enactment of the child marriage bill, Hon. Sia Mahawa Habiama Tommy remarked that child marriage is a menace in Sierra Leone and that the enactment of the bill was a good step to help vulnerable women and girls. “Child marriage is cancer that is eating children’s fabric in society” and it is undermining the very foundation and leading to long time consequences, like limiting educational opportunities, poor health conditions and also affect the mental thinking of the youths, saying it sometimes leads to death.

The law maker said she had wanted to join the first lady and campaign for the welfare of women and girls while showering praises to the First to the Republic HE Fatima Jabbie Maada Bio, saying her name will always be in the books of the country. According to her clause 22.2 of Act was her concern, asserted Members of Parliament would look at the rehabilitation for victims of marriage and to introduce them back to society. “If we are talking about the annulment of marriages, what are you putting in place” she asked emphasizing the need to put structures in place for survivors of child marriage.

Recalling her past, Honorable Mahawa said on June 6, 2016 she became a bride, saying after three years, she became a complete housewife, something she said is very difficult and heart breaking to have undergone such a situation and that she took a decision in 2028 to take the WASSCE and go back to school for her to achieve her dream, adding there are women and girls that are suffering in society while others die through child birth. “I want to be somebody that people will remember not for the negative things but for the positives” she maintained

Copyright –Published in print in Expo Times Newspaper on Friday, July 5th, 2024 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)