Colombia - November 2024

On 13 November, the Senate approved a law banning marriage for people under the age of 18, following years of debate on legislation first proposed in 2007 and strongly advocated for by civil society. Previously, Colombia allowed children as young as 14 to marry with parental consent. The law also creates a National Program to prevent child marriages and support children in building life projects, while allowing married minors to seek annulment. According to expert data, about a fourth of Colombian women were married in childhood, with 4.5 million marrying before 18, including over a million before 15. Experts praised the law as a milestone for improving children’s rights, highlighting its importance for Indigenous and Afro-descendant girls who are disproportionately affected. Particularly, they underlined that child marriage contributes to higher school dropout rates, poverty and inequality, limiting professional and economic development. The law now awaits presidential approval to become official.

Sources: The Guardian, France 24, CNN, Razon Publica, El Pais, UNICEF