The ECOWAS Court of Justice has ruled against Ghana for violating the rights of a Ghanaian woman married to...
ECOWAS Court holds Sierra Leone for failure to protect a child from child marriage, awards $10, 000.00 in compensation in Adamsay Kabia v. Sierra Leone
The Applicants had sought, among others, declarations that:
- the failure of the Republic of Sierra Leone to take adequate measures to stop all incidences of child marriage;
- the failure of the Republic of Sierra Leone to investigate the child marriage of Adamsay Kabia and to prosecute those involved is a violation of her rights; and
- the failure of the Republic of Sierra Leone to take adequate measures to stop all incidences of child marriage is a violation of the right to freedom from gender-based discrimination;
The court held that:
- The respondent violated the 1st applicants to protection against child abuse;
- The respondent violated the 1st applicant’s freedom from gender-based discrimination;
- The respondent violated its obligation to investigate and prosecute those responsible for child marriage of the 1st applicant
Consequently, the court ordered the respondent to
- pay the equivalent of $10, 000 in its national currency to the 1st applicant;
- Investigate and where appropriate prosecute and punish those responsible the child marriage of the 1st applicant;
- Provide the 1st applicant with full psychological counselling and full rehabilitation exercise;
- Directing the adaption of structural measures aimed at preventing reoccurrence, including public awareness, education initiative and strengthen accountability mechanism; and
- submit a report within six months of measures taken to implement the decision.


