Latest items for AOM-LAW-1
Nov. 2, 2025, 2:18 p.m.
Countries: Iran
Variables: AOM-PRACTICE-1, AOM-LAW-1
"Nine is also the age at which Iranian girls can be subjected to arranged marriages, usually to much older men, though most wait until they are at least 13" (para 49).
Variables: AOM-PRACTICE-1, AOM-LAW-1
"Nine is also the age at which Iranian girls can be subjected to arranged marriages, usually to much older men, though most wait until they are at least 13" (para 49).
Nov. 2, 2025, 2:14 p.m.
Countries: Afghanistan
Variables: AOM-PRACTICE-1, AOM-LAW-1
"...In Afghanistan, it was reported this week that a six-year-old girl had been forced to marry a 45-year-old man...before the Taliban stepped in and arrested the father and the bridegroom. Local media reported that the Taliban had said the latter needed to wait until she was nine" (para 41-42).
Variables: AOM-PRACTICE-1, AOM-LAW-1
"...In Afghanistan, it was reported this week that a six-year-old girl had been forced to marry a 45-year-old man...before the Taliban stepped in and arrested the father and the bridegroom. Local media reported that the Taliban had said the latter needed to wait until she was nine" (para 41-42).
Nov. 2, 2025, 1:34 p.m.
Countries: Yemen
Variables: MARR-PRACTICE-1, AOM-LAW-1
"Yemen does not have a minimum legal age for marriage. And Houthi ideology, 'violent and aggressive', has only set back rights for women since their 2014 takeover, while limiting the ability of families to object to imposed marriages" (para 21).
Variables: MARR-PRACTICE-1, AOM-LAW-1
"Yemen does not have a minimum legal age for marriage. And Houthi ideology, 'violent and aggressive', has only set back rights for women since their 2014 takeover, while limiting the ability of families to object to imposed marriages" (para 21).
Nov. 2, 2025, 1:32 p.m.
Countries: Iraq
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"Earlier this year, Iraq also amended its personal status law to effectively legalise marriage for girls as young as nine. The amendments gave Islamic courts increased authority over family matters, including marriage, divorce and inheritance, allowing clerics to rule according to their interpretation of Islamic law" (para 44).
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"Earlier this year, Iraq also amended its personal status law to effectively legalise marriage for girls as young as nine. The amendments gave Islamic courts increased authority over family matters, including marriage, divorce and inheritance, allowing clerics to rule according to their interpretation of Islamic law" (para 44).
Nov. 2, 2025, 1:32 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: AOM-LAW-1, AOM-DATA-1, AOM-DATA-2
"In China, the minimum age for marriage is 22 for men and 20 for women. But UNICEF estimates that there are more than 35 million girls who married before the age of 18" (para 32).
Variables: AOM-LAW-1, AOM-DATA-1, AOM-DATA-2
"In China, the minimum age for marriage is 22 for men and 20 for women. But UNICEF estimates that there are more than 35 million girls who married before the age of 18" (para 32).
Nov. 2, 2025, 1:30 p.m.
Countries: India
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"India, 'the world's largest democracy', has a similar problem. The legal age for marriage is 21 for men and 18 for women, but poverty, tradition and weak enforcement keep child marriage common" (para 48).
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"India, 'the world's largest democracy', has a similar problem. The legal age for marriage is 21 for men and 18 for women, but poverty, tradition and weak enforcement keep child marriage common" (para 48).
Nov. 2, 2025, 1:29 p.m.
Countries: Romania
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"The legal age for marriage is 18 years, though people can marry at 16 with parental consent. Poverty, limited education and narrow employment prospects are cited among the reasons for child marriage, especially among Romani girls" (para 47).
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"The legal age for marriage is 18 years, though people can marry at 16 with parental consent. Poverty, limited education and narrow employment prospects are cited among the reasons for child marriage, especially among Romani girls" (para 47).
Oct. 25, 2025, 6:21 p.m.
Countries: Afghanistan
Variables: AOM-PRACTICE-1, AOM-LAW-1
"In the last four years the country has seen a significant increase in child and early marriages, driven by deepening poverty, the ban on female education and ditching the minimum age for marriage, which was 16 under the western-backed civil code" (para 25).
Variables: AOM-PRACTICE-1, AOM-LAW-1
"In the last four years the country has seen a significant increase in child and early marriages, driven by deepening poverty, the ban on female education and ditching the minimum age for marriage, which was 16 under the western-backed civil code" (para 25).
Oct. 24, 2025, 11:32 p.m.
Countries: Iraq
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"In January 2025, Iraq’s parliament passed a law, giving religious authorities the power to legalise marriages of children as young as nine years old. Activists and women’s rights organisations criticised the decision, saying it will “legalise child rape”(para. 8)."Currently in Iraq, the minimum age of marriage is 18" (para. 9).
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"In January 2025, Iraq’s parliament passed a law, giving religious authorities the power to legalise marriages of children as young as nine years old. Activists and women’s rights organisations criticised the decision, saying it will “legalise child rape”(para. 8)."Currently in Iraq, the minimum age of marriage is 18" (para. 9).
Oct. 23, 2025, 9:50 a.m.
Countries: Djibouti
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"Although the law set the minimum legal age of marriage at 18, it provided that 'marriage of minors who have not reached the legal age of majority is subject to the consent of their guardians'"(3).
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"Although the law set the minimum legal age of marriage at 18, it provided that 'marriage of minors who have not reached the legal age of majority is subject to the consent of their guardians'"(3).
Oct. 17, 2025, 6:59 a.m.
Countries: Azerbaijan
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"According to the Family Code, 'the age of consent in the Azerbaijan Republic is established in 18 years'; however, 'in the presence of reasonable excuses,' the age of consent may be reduced by up to a maximum of 1 year upon the request of minors who wish to marry. Thus, when accounting even for such exceptional cases, the minimum age of marriage stands at 17 years" (Para 4).
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"According to the Family Code, 'the age of consent in the Azerbaijan Republic is established in 18 years'; however, 'in the presence of reasonable excuses,' the age of consent may be reduced by up to a maximum of 1 year upon the request of minors who wish to marry. Thus, when accounting even for such exceptional cases, the minimum age of marriage stands at 17 years" (Para 4).
Sept. 19, 2025, 5:48 p.m.
Countries: Qatar
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"Qatari law did not permit marriages for boys under the age of 17 and girls under the age of 16. Marriages under the age of 18 were permitted by judges only when there were exceptional circumstances" (para 40).
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"Qatari law did not permit marriages for boys under the age of 17 and girls under the age of 16. Marriages under the age of 18 were permitted by judges only when there were exceptional circumstances" (para 40).
Aug. 31, 2025, 9:08 a.m.
Countries: Chad
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
“The law sets the minimum age for marriage at 18 for men and women. The law precludes invoking the consent of the minor spouse to justify child marriage and prescribes sentences of five to 10 years’ imprisonment and fines of 500,000 to five million CFA francs ($850 to $8,500) for persons convicted of perpetrating child marriage, although the practice was widespread” (Page 16). “The law prohibits sexual relations with children younger than 14, even if married, but authorities rarely enforced the ban” (Page 17).
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
“The law sets the minimum age for marriage at 18 for men and women. The law precludes invoking the consent of the minor spouse to justify child marriage and prescribes sentences of five to 10 years’ imprisonment and fines of 500,000 to five million CFA francs ($850 to $8,500) for persons convicted of perpetrating child marriage, although the practice was widespread” (Page 16). “The law prohibits sexual relations with children younger than 14, even if married, but authorities rarely enforced the ban” (Page 17).
Aug. 20, 2025, 7:11 p.m.
Countries: Central African Rep
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"The provision whereby children under the age of 18 years, including pregnant girls, could marry under certain circumstances, was being revised in the light of the Child Protection Code. Under the proposed amendment, pregnant girls would no longer be able to receive parental authorization for marriage. During the revision process, the technical partner had been requested to comprehensively examine the law in its entirety to ensure that the reform covered all discriminatory provisions. All policy instruments, including the national policy for the promotion of equality and equity and its action plan, sought to encourage responsible parenting and strengthen family relations" (Page 7). "A representative of the Central African Republic said...more
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"The provision whereby children under the age of 18 years, including pregnant girls, could marry under certain circumstances, was being revised in the light of the Child Protection Code. Under the proposed amendment, pregnant girls would no longer be able to receive parental authorization for marriage. During the revision process, the technical partner had been requested to comprehensively examine the law in its entirety to ensure that the reform covered all discriminatory provisions. All policy instruments, including the national policy for the promotion of equality and equity and its action plan, sought to encourage responsible parenting and strengthen family relations" (Page 7). "A representative of the Central African Republic said...more
May 30, 2025, 10:12 a.m.
Countries: Iceland
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"Amendments to the Marriage Law (No. 31/1993), abolishing the exceptions to the minimum age of marriage of 18 years and allowing for simplified divorce without the need to apply for judicial separation proceedings for victims of domestic violence, in 2022" (1, 14).
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"Amendments to the Marriage Law (No. 31/1993), abolishing the exceptions to the minimum age of marriage of 18 years and allowing for simplified divorce without the need to apply for judicial separation proceedings for victims of domestic violence, in 2022" (1, 14).
April 10, 2025, 7:06 p.m.
Countries: Venezuela
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"The Committee notes that the Act on the Prevention and Elimination of Sexual Abuse against Children and Adolescents (2021) raises the minimum age of marriage to 16 years for both girls and boys" (15).
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"The Committee notes that the Act on the Prevention and Elimination of Sexual Abuse against Children and Adolescents (2021) raises the minimum age of marriage to 16 years for both girls and boys" (15).
April 4, 2025, 9:14 a.m.
Countries: El Salvador
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"The legal framework for the protection of the rights of children has been strengthened to reinforce protection for the right to a violence-free life, as follows… Amendment of the Family Code, through Legislative Decree No. 754, which prohibits child marriage, in order to prevent violations of the rights of girls and adolescents" (5). "Legislative Decree No. 754 on the reform of the Family Code was adopted and prohibits child marriage – a practice that undermines the comprehensive development of children and adolescents – and remedies shortcomings in national legislation, bringing it into line with international treaties. However, the prohibition of non-marital unions with children and adolescents is still pending, which...more
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"The legal framework for the protection of the rights of children has been strengthened to reinforce protection for the right to a violence-free life, as follows… Amendment of the Family Code, through Legislative Decree No. 754, which prohibits child marriage, in order to prevent violations of the rights of girls and adolescents" (5). "Legislative Decree No. 754 on the reform of the Family Code was adopted and prohibits child marriage – a practice that undermines the comprehensive development of children and adolescents – and remedies shortcomings in national legislation, bringing it into line with international treaties. However, the prohibition of non-marital unions with children and adolescents is still pending, which...more
April 3, 2025, 9:16 p.m.
Countries: Somalia
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"Somalia still lacks a minimum legal age for marriage" (para 5). "Efforts to introduce legal protections have stalled. A draft child rights bill, proposed in 2023 by Somalia's Ministry of Women and Human Rights, was blocked by MPs over disputed provisions. While it is expected to be reintroduced, there is no clear timeline" (para 17-19).
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"Somalia still lacks a minimum legal age for marriage" (para 5). "Efforts to introduce legal protections have stalled. A draft child rights bill, proposed in 2023 by Somalia's Ministry of Women and Human Rights, was blocked by MPs over disputed provisions. While it is expected to be reintroduced, there is no clear timeline" (para 17-19).
April 2, 2025, 5:23 p.m.
Countries: Dominican Republic
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"In the Dominican Republic, marriage is a civil contract, so it is regulated by the Dominican Civil Code, which dates from 1884. The requirements for contracting marriage are: 'For the man to be 18 years old and for the woman to be 15 years old. Minors under 18 years of age may marry with parental consent, but a man before his 16th birthday and a woman before her 15th birthday may marry if they apply to the competent judge for a dispensation from the age requirement.' Law 136-03, which establishes the Code for the System for the Protection of the Fundamental Rights of Children and Adolescents, restricts the request for...more
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"In the Dominican Republic, marriage is a civil contract, so it is regulated by the Dominican Civil Code, which dates from 1884. The requirements for contracting marriage are: 'For the man to be 18 years old and for the woman to be 15 years old. Minors under 18 years of age may marry with parental consent, but a man before his 16th birthday and a woman before her 15th birthday may marry if they apply to the competent judge for a dispensation from the age requirement.' Law 136-03, which establishes the Code for the System for the Protection of the Fundamental Rights of Children and Adolescents, restricts the request for...more
March 27, 2025, 7:22 p.m.
Countries: Cambodia
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"Cambodian law currently legalizes child marriage for 16 and 17-year-olds with parental consent if the other partner is 18. This law is only applied to weddings with marriage certificates, not traditional marriages. The National Action Plan on Preventing and Responding to Violence Against Children includes a goal to amend the Criminal Code to increase the age of sexual majority to 18 from 15, but no concrete steps have been taken to pass this amendment" (10).
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"Cambodian law currently legalizes child marriage for 16 and 17-year-olds with parental consent if the other partner is 18. This law is only applied to weddings with marriage certificates, not traditional marriages. The National Action Plan on Preventing and Responding to Violence Against Children includes a goal to amend the Criminal Code to increase the age of sexual majority to 18 from 15, but no concrete steps have been taken to pass this amendment" (10).
March 26, 2025, 10:03 a.m.
Countries: Morocco
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"The minimum legal age for marriage is 18 years and can go up to 17 years in certain cases. It will be impossible to marry before the age of 17" (para 12).
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"The minimum legal age for marriage is 18 years and can go up to 17 years in certain cases. It will be impossible to marry before the age of 17" (para 12).
March 21, 2025, 3:12 p.m.
Countries: Finland
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"Forced marriage is currently not a distinct criminal offence in Finland. The Government assessment report and the draft bill on the annulment of forced marriage and the recognition of a marriage concluded abroad by a minor is inadequate. The legal effect of an annulment would be that the marital status of the parties would revert to ‘unmarried’. The proposed time limit for seeking an annulment is one year after moving to separate addresses or divorce and at the latest five years after the factual end of the marriage. The proposal concerning the recognition of a marriage concluded abroad by a minor fails to adequately protect child victims, as the high...more
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"Forced marriage is currently not a distinct criminal offence in Finland. The Government assessment report and the draft bill on the annulment of forced marriage and the recognition of a marriage concluded abroad by a minor is inadequate. The legal effect of an annulment would be that the marital status of the parties would revert to ‘unmarried’. The proposed time limit for seeking an annulment is one year after moving to separate addresses or divorce and at the latest five years after the factual end of the marriage. The proposal concerning the recognition of a marriage concluded abroad by a minor fails to adequately protect child victims, as the high...more
March 20, 2025, 1:55 p.m.
Countries: Mauritania
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"Mauritania’s ambiguous domestic laws allow the practice to persist today as the laws promote rather than prohibit child marriages. Although the Personal Status Code in Mauritania sets the minimum age for marriage at 18; it also provides that a woman who has reached 'age of majority' cannot be married without her consent and the approval of her male guardian ('weli'). There is a lack of clarity in the code as to whether the 'age of majority' is the minimum age as set by Mauritanian laws or refers, to the age of puberty as under traditional Islamic jurisprudence. In addition, the article also provides that 'the silence of a young girl...more
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"Mauritania’s ambiguous domestic laws allow the practice to persist today as the laws promote rather than prohibit child marriages. Although the Personal Status Code in Mauritania sets the minimum age for marriage at 18; it also provides that a woman who has reached 'age of majority' cannot be married without her consent and the approval of her male guardian ('weli'). There is a lack of clarity in the code as to whether the 'age of majority' is the minimum age as set by Mauritanian laws or refers, to the age of puberty as under traditional Islamic jurisprudence. In addition, the article also provides that 'the silence of a young girl...more
March 19, 2025, 10:12 p.m.
Countries: Iraq
Variables: MARR-LAW-4, AOM-LAW-1
"In the Kurdistan region, forced marriage, bride exchanges, marriage of minors, and marriages in exchange for blood money are illegal" (9).
Variables: MARR-LAW-4, AOM-LAW-1
"In the Kurdistan region, forced marriage, bride exchanges, marriage of minors, and marriages in exchange for blood money are illegal" (9).
March 15, 2025, 11:45 a.m.
Countries: Lebanon
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"The Committee takes note of the draft laws to ensure equal rights in marriage and family relations and prohibit child marriage in the State party... The Committee is further concerned that child marriage is still not prohibited and notes the high number of child marriages within refugee and internally displaced communities" (14).
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"The Committee takes note of the draft laws to ensure equal rights in marriage and family relations and prohibit child marriage in the State party... The Committee is further concerned that child marriage is still not prohibited and notes the high number of child marriages within refugee and internally displaced communities" (14).
March 13, 2025, 3:54 p.m.
Countries: Bahrain
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"SALAM DHR [Salam for Democracy and Human Rights] and RRC [Rights Realization Center] acknowledge that GoB [the government of Bahrain] law stipulates that 16 is the minimum age for marriage, except where permitted by court order. This issue is addressed in the state party’s report in paragraph 201" (10).
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"SALAM DHR [Salam for Democracy and Human Rights] and RRC [Rights Realization Center] acknowledge that GoB [the government of Bahrain] law stipulates that 16 is the minimum age for marriage, except where permitted by court order. This issue is addressed in the state party’s report in paragraph 201" (10).
March 11, 2025, 9:47 p.m.
Countries: Gambia
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"Baldeh fears that if the law on FGM is repealed, other laws protecting women and girls, such as the one forbidding marriage under 18, may be targeted" (para 12).
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"Baldeh fears that if the law on FGM is repealed, other laws protecting women and girls, such as the one forbidding marriage under 18, may be targeted" (para 12).
March 5, 2025, 8:35 p.m.
Countries: Ecuador
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"In 2015, the National Assembly adopted the Civil Code Reform Act, article 3 of which provided for the amendment of article 83, establishing that 'persons who have not reached the age of 18 may not marry', thereby bringing the Ecuadorian State into line with the Committee’s observations on the abolition of child marriage in Ecuador" (37).
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"In 2015, the National Assembly adopted the Civil Code Reform Act, article 3 of which provided for the amendment of article 83, establishing that 'persons who have not reached the age of 18 may not marry', thereby bringing the Ecuadorian State into line with the Committee’s observations on the abolition of child marriage in Ecuador" (37).
Feb. 28, 2025, 5:42 p.m.
Countries: Niger
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"[T]he absence of a law prohibiting child marriage certainly does not help in decreasing this phenomenon, which, on the contrary, is on the rise" (2). "Under Article 144 of the Civil Code, the legal age of marriage is 15 for girls and 18 for boys. Despite numerous requests that the State raise the age of marriage for girls, this has still not been done and the law remains inconsistent with several international conventions ratified by Niger" (3). "Faced with this, several advocacy actions have been carried out by civil society with decision-makers, notably the National Assembly, for the adoption of a law protecting girls from marriage until the age of...more
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"[T]he absence of a law prohibiting child marriage certainly does not help in decreasing this phenomenon, which, on the contrary, is on the rise" (2). "Under Article 144 of the Civil Code, the legal age of marriage is 15 for girls and 18 for boys. Despite numerous requests that the State raise the age of marriage for girls, this has still not been done and the law remains inconsistent with several international conventions ratified by Niger" (3). "Faced with this, several advocacy actions have been carried out by civil society with decision-makers, notably the National Assembly, for the adoption of a law protecting girls from marriage until the age of...more
Feb. 26, 2025, 8:27 p.m.
Countries: Dominican Republic
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"[U]nder the Civil Code, marriage is permitted before the age of 18, with the authorization of parents or guardians or by a court order" (12). "The non-governmental organization (NGO) Plan Internacional República Dominicana has conducted several campaigns aimed at the general public and lawmakers for the removal of exceptions under Dominican law to the prohibition of marriage before the age of 18" (13). "Save the Children in the Dominican Republic launched a petition to end child marriage on the change.org website, In the petition, the bicameral National Congress was asked to remove from the Civil Code the legal provisions that allow or facilitate child marriage in the country. In April...more
Variables: AOM-LAW-1
"[U]nder the Civil Code, marriage is permitted before the age of 18, with the authorization of parents or guardians or by a court order" (12). "The non-governmental organization (NGO) Plan Internacional República Dominicana has conducted several campaigns aimed at the general public and lawmakers for the removal of exceptions under Dominican law to the prohibition of marriage before the age of 18" (13). "Save the Children in the Dominican Republic launched a petition to end child marriage on the change.org website, In the petition, the bicameral National Congress was asked to remove from the Civil Code the legal provisions that allow or facilitate child marriage in the country. In April...more