CROSS RIVER – GIRL-CHILD MARRIAGES AND FEMALE CIRCUMCISION (PROHIBITION) LAW
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LAWS OF CROSS RIVER STATE
CHAPTER G1
GIRL-CHILD MARRIAGES AND FEMALE CIRCUMCISION (PROHIBITION) LAW
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
SECTION
- Prohibition of marriage.
- Offences.
- Prohibition of circumcision, etc.
- Offences.
- Power of arrest.
- Interpretation.
- Short title.
CHAPTER G1
GIRL-CHILD MARRIAGES AND FEMALE CIRCUMCISION (PROHIBITION) LAW
A Law to prohibit Girl-Child Marriages and Female Circumcision or Genital Mutilation in Cross River State.
(18th July, 2000)
[Commencement]
- Prohibition of marriage
(1) Upon the commencement of this Law, no person shall give in marriage, enter into marriage, consent to the marriage of or force into marriage any girl-child whether or not such a person is a parent to the said girl-child.
(2) No person shall impregnate or put in the family way any girl-child.
- Offences
(1) Any person who gives in marriage, enters into marriage, consents to the marriage of or forces into marriage or impregnates or puts in the family way any girl-child is guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine of not less than ten thousand naira or to imprisonment not exceeding one year for a first offender and to a fine not exceeding twenty thousand naira or to imprisonment not exceeding three years for each subsequent offence.
(2) It shall not be a defence to a charge under this section to prove that a person has obtained the consent of the girl-child.
- Prohibition of circumcision, etc.
Upon the commencement of this Law, no person shall circumcise or mutilate the genital organ of any female, whether or not her consent is obtained.
- Offences
Any person who—
(a) performs the operation of female circumcision or female genital mutilation;
(b) offers herself for circumcision or genital mutilation;
(c) coerces, entices or induces any person to undergo female circumcision or genital mutilation;
(d) allows any female who is either a daughter or ward to be circumcised or have the genital organ mutilated, is guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine of not less than ten thousand naira or to imprisonment not exceeding two years for a first offender and to imprisonment not exceeding three years without an option of fine for each subsequent offence.
- Power of arrest
Any person who contravenes the provisions of this Law, may be arrested without warrant and taken without delay to the nearest police station where he may be granted bail until he is brought before a magistrate’s court for trial.
- Interpretation
In this Law, unless the context otherwise requires—
“girl-child” means any girl below the age of 18;
“marriage” includes marriage under the Marriage Act of 1914 or any other marriage ordinance or marriage under any Native Law and Custom or under any other Law in Nigeria;
“circumcision” means the act of cutting off of the clitoris of a female;
“genital organ” means the sex organ of a female;
“mutilation” means any cutting, incision, damage or removal of any or all of the female sex organs.
- Short title
This Law may be cited as the Girl-Child Marriages and Female Circumcision (Prohibition) Law.
CHAPTER G1
GIRL-CHILD MARRIAGES AND FEMALE CIRCUMCISION
(PROHIBITION) LAW
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION
No Subsidiary Legislation
