The Gambia cannot claim meaningful progress in protecting the rights of girls while child marriage continues to determine the futures of thousands of them. UNICEF’s call for stronger action to end the practice is therefore timely and should be treated not merely as an appeal, but as a national responsibility.
There has been progress. The proportion of women aged 20 to 24 who were married before the age of 18 declined from 30.4 per cent in 2013 to 23.1 per cent in 2019–20. The Children’s Act 2005 prohibits child marriage, while amendments in 2016 introduced penalties for those who arrange, conduct or fail to report such marriages.
Yet legislation alone cannot end a practice rooted in poverty, social expectations and unequal access to education. The sharp disparity between urban and rural areas is particularly troubling. While 17 per cent of women in urban areas were married before 18, the figure rose to 43 per cent in rural communities and exceeded 54 per cent in Kuntaur.
These figures expose a deeper inequality that demands urgent attention. A girl’s chances of avoiding child marriage should not depend on where she is born or whether her family can afford to keep her in school.
Education remains one of the strongest protections available. UNICEF’s finding that child marriage is far more common among women with no formal education than among those who reached secondary school or higher demonstrates why investment in girls must go beyond enrolment. Girls need quality education, safe schools, adequate learning outcomes and opportunities to continue into higher education and employment.
The government must therefore strengthen enforcement of existing laws while expanding social protection, child protection and adolescent-friendly health services. Communities also have a decisive role to play. Parents, religious and traditional leaders, teachers and young men must challenge practices that deprive girls of their childhood and choices.
Ending child marriage is ultimately about allowing girls to determine their own futures. The Gambia must turn that principle into sustained action.
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