ComSIL spotlights community-led action to end child marriage in Sierra Leone

Community Solidarity to Improve Lives Sierra Leone (ComSIL-SL) has launched the Child Marriage Free Communities (CMFC) project in Bombali District and the Western Area Rural district, reaching more than 5,000 people through community events, door-to-door outreach, and radio discussions. The initiative, implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs and supported by the Assistant Director for Bombali District, is focused on raising awareness about the new Child Marriage Act 2024 and mobilizing communities to end child marriage.

As part of this campaign, ComSIL are working with local influencers in Biriwa and Gbendenbu Ngowahum chiefdoms and reaching the communities of Kamasikie, Manjoro, Kanikay, Gbendenbu, Imatt and Kissi Town. At the launch, Paramount Chiefs, the Local Police Unit commander and team, religious and traditional leaders, students, parents and children under 18 publicly take the pledge to end child marriage in their communities.

The CMFC project is using a community-led mix of activities to reach people where they live and listen. Methods include door-to-door outreach, school assembly talks, jingles in local languages, and a joint radio discussion programme with the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs. ComSIL is also establishing End Child Marriage Community Champions structures across six communities and working with national education authorities to ensure schools are active partners in the implementation plan.

These activities are sparking locally owned conversations about why girls should be allowed to finish their education and how communities can protect children from early marriage. The campaign is strengthening links between faith and traditional leaders, local authorities, youth groups and civil society, creating partnerships that sustain the work beyond these initial activities.

ComSIL also notes challenges such as cultural resistance, limited resources, and the need for continuous engagement. The organisation is responding by prioritizing youth involvement, ongoing community forums, and resource mobilisation to make progress sustainable.

By centering local leadership and collaboration with government actors, ComSIL’s CMFC project demonstrates how communities themselves can drive action to protect children’s rights and ensure that girls have the opportunity to complete their education and thrive.