Defence for Children International-Ghana (DCI-Ghana) and some Children’s Rights organizations, recently aborted a child- marriage case at Aboaso-Ntonso in the Kwabre East Municipality of the Ashanti region and rescued a 14-year old victim from a supposedly forced marriage.
DCI-GHANA, which chairs the Girls Not Brides Ghana Partnership, collaborated with the She Leads Social Movement, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Anti-Child Marriage Unit and the Department of Children, successfully intervened to rescue the 14-year-old girl (identify withheld) who was allegedly forced into marriage with a 27-year-old man at Aboaso-Ntonso in the Kwabre East Municipality.
A press release issued and signed by Prof. George Oppong Appiagyei Ampong, the Executive Director of DCI-GHANA and copied to The Chronicle explained the chronology of events, which subsequently led to the rescue of the victim.
The release stated that a Facebook post by one FatiAboni, an anti-child marriage advocate on September 20, 2025 about a child marriage case caught the attention of the Ashanti Regional She Leads Social Movement, who managed to reach out to the informant after which the case was subsequently referred to DCI-GHANA.
A well-coordinated effort, according to the release, between the Regional Department of Social Welfare, Department of Children, DCI-GHANA, the Regional DOVVSU and the Mampong and Agona police, identified the victim and the perpetrators and established that the said marriage violated Section 15 of the Children’s Act, which prohibited child marriage.
The statement further explained that even though the victim insisted she was 18 years, there were inconsistencies about her real age as all the people involved in the marriage including her grandfather, the supposed husband and the woman who claimed to be the mother did not seem to know the exact age of the victim.
The police, therefore, ordered that they should be detained until a proof of age with the victim’s original birth certificate.
The statement emphasized that Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560), Section 15, prohibits child marriage and Ghana is also a signatory to international conventions, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child(CRC) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC), both of which prohibited child marriage.
The DCI-Ghana, through the release pointed out that “child marriage robs children, particularly the girl-child, their right to life, education, health, childhood, safety and their future.
“This successful rescue shows that the law works when duty bearers, CSOs and communities act decisively. This case is a wakeup call to all governments, child protection agencies, human rights defenders and CSOs to intensify advocacy and enforce the law. No child should ever be forced into marriage in Ghana as it is punishable by a jail sentence”.
DCI-GHANA expressed gratitude to the police, the DOVVSU Unit, the Regional Social Movement and also acknowledged the collaboration and coordination with the Anti-child Marriage Unit and the Department of Children for their significant role in providing guidance and ensuring the safety of the victim and the complainant.
From Thomas Agbenyegah Adzey, Kumasi
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