Colombia bans child marriage in landmark move
Colombia has passed a historic law banning child marriage, raising the minimum age to 18 with no exceptions.
This law ends a 137-year-old rule that allowed children as young as 14 to marry with parental consent. It now awaits the signature of President Gustavo Petro's to take effect.
The law addresses a serious issue in Colombia, where one in five girls under 18 and one in 10 under 14 are married or in marriage-like relationships.
The law was driven by a coalition of Colombian civil society groups and international partners. Girls Not Brides, a global network fighting child marriage, supported the effort.
The new law also introduces a national programme to prevent early unions. It focuses on tackling poverty and improving education in rural areas. Indigenous communities will also be included through their local governance systems to ensure cultural sensitivity.
Child marriage is worse in rural, Indigenous, and Afro-Colombian communities, where rates range from 40 to 65 percent.
Globally, about 12 million girls marry each year before turning 18, with two million married before 15. The problem is most severe in sub-Saharan Africa, but it also affects South Asia, the Middle East, and other regions.
Efforts to end child marriage have made progress. The United Nations and organisations like Girls Not Brides have worked to change laws, provide education, and challenge harmful social norms. According to UNICEF, child marriage rates have dropped from 25% to 21% over the past decade.
