Sierra Leone: President Koroma Gives Assent to 'Women's Liberation' Act

Freetown — President Ernest Bai Koroma today appended his signature to, thereby formally giving his assent and making Into law, the customary Marriage And Divorce Act 2007, which commentators have described as a "Women's Liberation" act.

Before appending his signature, President Koroma said he had found himself in a very unique situation because he participated in the debate to pass this law as an Opposition leader and now giving his assent to it as Head of State. He said the APC gave its support to the bill from the very beginning because it covers the lives of a majority of the citizenry. "A good number of marriages, about 80%, are affected by this law. And because they were not registered and not regulated, so many abuses have been going on, especially against the underdogs, who in this case are the women... But we know that women are the true heroines of our nation," while detailing that the women often do the hard work to care for their families.

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