The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has stated that the Child Act considers any form of child betrothal as a crime.

Deputy Commissioner of CHRAJ, Mercy Larbi, quoting the 1992 Constitution, said betrothal to either a deity or a man is still considered a crime.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Midday News on April 3, she said “When you look at early marriages and forced marriages, the Children’s Act has criminalised them. Early marriages too is in there and it goes on even to say betrothal is even a criminal offense.

“So, betrothal in any kind or form [is criminal]. We are not looking at whether it is the human being or the deity. The law says betrothal in any kind or form."

• Read also: Office of Gborbu Wulomo clarifies alleged marriage involving a minor

Her comments follow the recent marriage of a 12-year-old girl to a 63-year-old priest in Nungua.

The traditional authorities have since denied the marriage claims and insisted that she was betrothed to the Gborbu deity.

Coincidentally, children’s rights violations dominated complaints at the Commission for year 2023.

According to a Report, the Commission received 10,525 cases, out of which, complaints on children were 3,509.

Madam Larbi said child rights violations includes failure to pay maintenance and provision of necessities of life for the child i.e. food, education, health, clothing, and shelter; right to paternity, custody, inhuman treatment, right to be named, and early and forced marriages.

“We have a lot of complaints about non-maintenance. That is the right to maintenance and life necessities.

“We also have complaints in respect of the right to health and the right to education. Right to be named, and then we have early and forced marriages, child trafficking, child labour, etc,” she said.

Touching on child marriages she said, “When you look at our statistics in 2023 we received about 25 complaints on early and forced marriages. So, there are two issues that we are looking at; early marriages and forced marriages.”

She explained that after each complaint, an investigation is launched and decisions and recommendations are made.