Court rules Sierra Leone’s ban on pregnant pupils unlawful

An African regional court has ruled to overturn Sierra Leone’s government ban on pregnant girls attending school. The move has been praised by Amnesty International and other rights groups.

The court for the West African regional bloc Ecowas has stipulated that pregnant girls be allowed to return to schools in the country immediately. It claims the ban was discriminatory and in contention with the African Charter on Human Rights.

Sierra Leone imposed the ban four years ago, owing to a spike in teenage pregnancies tied to the impact of the Ebola virus. The government argued that attending school would be too tiring for pregnant pupils and would be a bad influence on their peers.

The ban was enforced through invasive physical examinations of girls suspected of being pregnant.

Unable to attend conventional schools, many pregnant girls have been forced to rely on alternative forms of education, including schools specialising in catering, hairdressing, and tailoring. Rights groups argue these establishments are not of the same standard and limit girls’ opportunities.

The court hopes that the ruling will send a clear message to countries with similar bans, such as Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea.

However, the Ecowas court does not have powers of enforcement and Sierra Leone has ignored such rulings in the past.