“ACRWC” means the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child adopted by the Organisation of African Unity (Now African Union) on 29th November, 1999; “annul” means the termination of a marriage which is thereby treated as though it never occurred; “anti-child marriage fund” means a fund to be established by a Member State in accordance with section 42; “appropriate authority” means the Minister, Ministry or any other minister or ministry having responsibility for, or such public or statutory officer or body having powers under any written law over, children, marriages, registration of births, registration of marriages, health, education, skills training, State budgeting and finance, national planning, local authority, labour, gender, statistics or chiefs affairs, and includes a traditional leader, religious authority and civil society organisation or other agency having special interest or mandate over children affairs; “betroth” means to promise in marriage or to be engaged for the purpose of marriage, and includes any coerced act that may lead to marriage or results in a marriage, and the word “betrothal” shall be construed accordingly; "child" means every human being below the age of eighteen years, and the word “children” shall be construed accordingly; "child marriage" means a statutory or customary union in which one party is a child or both of the parties are children; "child marriage prohibition officer" means an officer to be appointed in accordance with section 43; “child in need of care and protection” means a child referred to in subsection (1) of section 29; "court" means a court of competent jurisdiction over child related matters; Page 29 of 78