Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone's parliament has approved a law banning child marriage in a development lauded by activists as a major win for children's rights.
The law criminalizes marrying girls under 18 years of age. It also prescribes jail terms of up to 15 years for offenders.
One-third of all girls are married before their 18th birthday in the west African country, according to UNICEF.
The country is home to 800,000 child brides, 400,000 of whom were married before age 15, the UN body says.
Often due to poverty, many girls in Sierra Leone fail to stay in school. They are then married off by their families in a bid to improve their financial situations or to pay off debt.
02:07
DR Congo opens Ebola nurseries to protect children separated from infected parents
00:57
9 children dead in Egypt after motorised tricycle plunges into canal
01:43
Parents of Kenya school fire victims await official identification
00:59
Nigerian army frees seven children kidnapped from an orphanage
02:18
Circus troupe tackles jihadist nightmares of Burkina Faso's children
02:20
NGO helps child soldiers to reintegrate in Central African Republic