Combating child marriage: Sakai community enacts bye-laws to protect girls

As part of efforts to protect the girl-child and promote their welfare, stakeholders from the Sakai community in the Sissala East Municipality in the Upper West Region have come out with measures aimed at curbing child marriage, elopement and teenage pregnancy.

Concerned about the prevalence of child marriage in the community, landlords together with the Parents-Teachers Associations (PTAs) of the three schools in the community, the Unit Committee and the Assemblymember of the Sakai Electoral Area came out with the bye-laws to stop the practice and ensure that girls remained in school.

The menace of child marriage, elopement and teenage pregnancy among girls of school age, contributes to declining school enrolment and retention among girls in the community and in the district.

The bye-laws are also intended to empower children to focus on their education without the fear of being forced into marriage or becoming pregnant and dropping out of school.

In an interview with the Daily Graphic, the Assemblymember for Sakai, Elisha Kantongbohu, explained that the decision stemmed from growing concern over the increasing number of schoolgirls dropping out—not to pursue vocational skills or remain at home, but to be married off at very young ages.

“Sometimes you see girls aged 12, 14 or 15 being married.

This has seriously affected girls’ education in our communities, and we felt we could no longer sit unconcerned,” he said.

After extensive consultations with key stakeholders, including traditional authorities, landlords, community leaders, PTAs, the police and social welfare officers, he said the community unanimously agreed to enforce measures to protect girls and keep them in school.

By-laws

Per the bye-laws, any person who elopes with a schoolgirl is required to return the girl to school and pay a fine of GH¢4,000.

In cases where a schoolgirl is impregnated, the offender is mandated to ensure that the girl returns to school and is provided with appropriate clothing throughout her pregnancy to enable her to continue her education.

The girl is not permitted to stay in the man’s house. 

"In line with local tradition, anyone who attempts to initiate marriage processes by presenting a fowl to the girl’s family, a customary indication that the girl is with a suitor, faces a fine of GH¢2,000 if the girl is of school age.

Families have also been empowered to reject such advances and refer offenders to the PTA.

“If the offender refuses to comply after being summoned by the PTA, the matter will be escalated to the police for arrest and further action,” Mr Kantongbohu explained.

The Assemblymember said the resolutions had been formally documented and submitted to the Sissala East District Assembly, the District Education Service (DES), the police and the Department of Social Welfare to ensure institutional backing.

He said the community had also reinforced regulations on social activities, such as dances and festivities, which were believed to contribute to school absenteeism.

Henceforth, dances are prohibited on school days and will only be permitted during approved festive periods, including Christmas, Easter and Eid celebrations, subject to clearance by unit committees and community elders.

Enforcement

To ensure compliance with the bye-laws, he said community security guides had been instituted to monitor events and maintain order during public gatherings.

Mr Kantongbohu said that since the introduction of the measures in December last year, the community had not recorded any case of elopement.

However, he admitted that comprehensive data on teenage pregnancy and elopement were not readily available, noting that only isolated local cases were known personally.

Municipal Assembly

Meanwhile, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Sissala East, Adamu Bening Yakubu, said the assembly had received a copy of the bye-laws and taken note of the initiative.

He said the Municipal Education Oversight Committee (MEOK), the highest body overseeing education in the municipality, was scheduled to meet to deliberate on the matter.

“We have received the communication, and a meeting has been scheduled.

The committee will thoroughly look at the issues and respond accordingly,” the MCE stated.