The Senate's Human Rights and Gender Equality Committee unanimously approved a bill that modifies the minimum age for marriage in Uruguay. The proposal raises the threshold to 18 and updates the legal framework to prevent child marriage, currently permitted from the age of 16 with specific requirements.
Bill and scope
According to Broad Front Senator Liliam Kechichian, the text builds on the work initiated in the previous legislative session and the exchange with organizations that maintain that, for protection purposes, children are considered those under 18 years of age. The minimum age for marriage in Uruguay would thus be increased to 18, aligning the criteria for childhood and adolescence.
Judicial control and parental consent
The bill maintains an exceptional option for children aged 16 and over, but adds a stricter filter: in addition to the approval of parents or guardians, a judge's opinion will be required. Judicial intervention aims to verify the best interests of the adolescent and prevent pressure or unequal unions. Kechichian noted that there was agreement among all parties and that the issue would be brought to the plenary session in the first sessions of September.
Data on child marriage
In the last , 84 marriages involving at least one minor were recorded
