Increasing Rate Of Child Marriage Unacceptable – ECOWAS

Commissioner of social affairs and gender of the Economic
Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Dr Siga Fatima Jagne has
said that the increasing rate of child marriage in the West African
sub region is unacceptable.

This is even as the regional block, says it is set to eliminate
child marriage in the region through the validation and
implementation of its reviewed Child Policy and Plan of Action.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of ‘Experts Meeting on the
ECOWAS Child Policy/ Strategic Plan of Action 2019-2023,and the
Roadmap on Prevention and Response of Child Marriage’ in Abuja,
yesterday, Dr Jagne disclosed that the sub region accounts for the
highest in Africa and the second highest in the world.

According to the commissioner, the previous policy, which was
based on international frameworks, was approved by the Heads of
State in 2008 and covered the period of 2009 to 2013.

Speaking further she said: “Indeed, six of the 15 ECOWAS
countries; Niger: 76 per cent, Mali: 55 per cent, Burkina Faso: 52
per cent, Guinea: 51 per cent, Nigeria: 43 per cent, Sierra Leone
39 per cent, are among the twenty countries with the highest rates
of child marriage in the world.

“Two ECOWAS countries, Nigeria and Niger, rank among the 20
countries with the largest absolute number of child marriages in
the world.”

“While ECOWAS Member States continue to implement measures to
end child marriage, rates remain very high.

“This also is in spite of the work done at the level of the
African Union and the launch of the Campaign in 2014; as well as
the commitment of 11 West African Countries to end Early Child
Marriage.”

She explained that the review would include the multidimensional
issues affecting the rights of the child in West Africa with a
focus on the Roadmap on Prevention and Response to Child
Marriage.

“Thus, the ECOWAS Commission, will present to you for
validation, the Child Policy and Strategic Plan of Action and a
Roadmap on Prevention and Response to Child Marriage, aimed at
charting a clear course for the Region in dealing with this issue
in the coming years.”

In his remarks, Country Director, PLAN International, an NGO, Mr
Hussaini Abdu said his organisation was working with governments,
religious and traditional leaders across West Africa to also
implement a global programme against child marriage in the
region.

According to the country director, “Our work is to see how we
can work with governments to set up policies and frameworks that
will support the process of delegalising child marriage, working
with traditional leaders of our different communities”.

Abdu urged member states to collaborate with the organisation to
facilitate its efforts in ending early and forced child
marriage.