Colombia’s Congress has passed a significant reform to the country’s civil code, which previously allowed minors as young as 14 to marry with parental consent.
This change aims to set the legal minimum age for marriage at 18, ensuring better protection for the rights of minors and supporting their opportunities for education and development.
The proposal, which is still pending President Gustavo Petro’s signature, seeks to address the risks faced by young girls, particularly those forced into marriage, which often results in exposure to various forms of violence and the deprivation of their childhoods.
The bill, initially introduced in 2023, was driven by the powerful slogan “they’re girls, not wives,” a statement that encapsulates the push to prevent minors from being treated as adults too soon.
One of the congresswomen behind the proposal, Clara López Obregón, emphasized the need for societal change, asserting, “Minors are not sexual objects, they’re girls.” Her remarks highlight the urgent need to shift away from viewing children through the lens of early marriage and the harms that come with it.
The issue of child marriage remains a global challenge, with UNICEF reporting that around 12 million girls are married off annually, despite a noticeable decline in the practice over the past decade.
“Ten years ago, one in four young women aged 20 to 24 was married as a child. Today that number has fallen to one in five,” UNICEF noted, pointing to a gradual but hopeful decrease in child marriages.
In Latin America, poverty is often cited as a primary driver for child marriages, as families in vulnerable situations may see marriage as a way to secure a future for their daughters, even though it often limits their opportunities for personal growth and education.
The Colombian reform stands as a significant step forward in the region’s broader efforts to curb this harmful practice.
