This archive report was first published on 24 October 2019.
On October 24, 2019, a Tanzanian court made a landmark ruling upholding a law that bans the marriage of girls under the age of 18.
The High Court initially ruled in 2016 that laws allowing girls as young as 15 to be married with parental permission, or 14 with court permission, were unconstitutional and discriminatory.
However, the state appealed the ruling, but the appeals court judges rejected the appeal, stating it had no foundation.
According to government statistics, two out of five Tanzanian girls are married before their 18th birthday.
Rights activists have welcomed the ruling, with the Wasichana Initiative tweeting, "It is a great day for Tanzanian girls," and Anna Henga of the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) saying, "It is a joyful day for all girls and all those who want what is best for them."
