In an effort to safeguard vulnerable youngsters from being coerced into marriage, the British government has just passed a bill increasing the legal age of marriage to 18. The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act makes it illegal under any circumstances to arrange a marriage between a minor and an adult. Violators face up to seven years in prison.
Payzee Mahmod, a survivor of child marriage, stated that the day this law was passed was one of the most significant of her life. Banaz, the sister of Payzee, was slain in a so-called “honour killing” after abandoning her 17-year-old husband, whom she was compelled to marry. She feels that the new law will prevent other women and girls from sharing her sister’s tragedy.
Scotland and Northern Ireland maintain a minimum age of 16 for marriage, however parental agreement is necessary in Northern Ireland. Ministers in Northern Ireland have previously stated that they intend to raise the minimum age of marriage to 18, however legislation cannot be introduced because the devolved government is now inoperative.
In 2021, the Forced Marriage Unit provided assistance in 118 cases involving victims under the age of 18. Nevertheless, advocates feel that official data do not reflect the full scope of the problem, as other victims may not have been able to seek assistance. The organisation Karma Nirvana expects that the new regulation would increase the detection and reporting of child marriages.
Justice Minister Dominic Raab stated, “Those who manipulate minors into getting married will now face the full weight of the law.” However, the Roma Support Group was concerned about how the changes would be communicated to the communities and those enforcing the new rule. The group’s Mihai Bica requested for staff training so that they are not “affected by existing stereotypes” when evaluating Roma households.
The amendments were submitted by Pauline Latham, a member of the Conservative Party, through a bill with bipartisan support.
In an effort to safeguard vulnerable youngsters from being coerced into marriage, the British government has enacted a bill increasing the legal age of marriage to 18. The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act makes it illegal under any circumstances to arrange a marriage between a minor and an adult. Violators face up to seven years in prison. Payzee Mahmod, a survivor of child marriage, stated that the day this law was passed was one of the most significant of her life.
Scotland and Northern Ireland maintain a minimum age of 16 for marriage, however parental agreement is necessary in Northern Ireland. Ministers in Northern Ireland have previously stated that they intend to raise the minimum age of marriage to 18, however legislation cannot be introduced because the devolved government is now inoperative. In 2021, the Forced Marriage Unit provided assistance in 118 cases involving victims under the age of 18. Nevertheless, advocates feel that official data do not reflect the full scope of the problem, as other victims may not have been able to seek assistance.
Justice Minister Dominic Raab stated, “Those who manipulate minors into getting married will now face the full weight of the law.” The Roma Support Group voiced concern about how the changes will be communicated to communities and those implementing the new rule, and demanded that personnel be trained so that they are not “affected by existing stereotypes” while assessing Roma families. The amendments were submitted by Pauline Latham, a member of the Conservative Party, through a bill with bipartisan support.
In an effort to safeguard vulnerable youngsters from being coerced into marriage, the British government recently enacted a law that raises the legal age of marriage to 18. The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act makes it illegal under any circumstances to arrange a marriage between a minor and an adult. Violators face up to seven years in prison. Payzee Mahmod, a survivor of child marriage, stated that the law’s implementation was “probably one of the most significant days of my life” because it will prevent other women and girls from suffering the same fate as her sister, who was murdered in a so-called “honour killing” after leaving the husband she was forced to marry at age 17.
Scotland and Northern Ireland maintain a minimum age of 16 for marriage, however parental agreement is necessary in Northern Ireland. Ministers in Northern Ireland have stated in the past that they intend to enhance it, but legislation cannot be introduced because the devolved government is now inoperative. In 2021, the Forced Marriage Unit provided assistance in 118 cases involving victims under the age of 18. Nevertheless, advocates feel that official data do not reflect the full scope of the problem, as other victims may not have been able to seek assistance.
