House Supports Bill for Legal Marriage Age to Be 18

Today in the House, bill number ten was up for its second reading. This bill aims to amend the Marriage Act, Chapter 174 of the laws of Belize, revised edition 2020, to raise the legal marriage age to eighteen. It also removes the provisions that allow parents or guardians to consent to the marriage of minors. The second reading saw several teens in attendance, many of whom participated in the 2022 Youth Parliament Debate. While the bill sets the legal age for marriage at eighteen, it eliminates the ability for anyone to allow, perform, or consent to the marriage of individuals under eighteen, whether for traditional reasons or otherwise. The bill received support from representatives on both sides of the aisle. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.

 

Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, Minister of Human Development

“Madam Speaker last year it was unprecedented but something very good happened in this country when our young people were able to meet in the Youth Parliament in November, so it was about a year ago, to propose and to pass their own Marriage Amendment Bill. I would like to mention that the Opposition side were even proposing that the age of marriage be raised to twenty-one.”

 

Marion Ali, Reporting

About a year ago, the teens in the Youth Parliament passed a bill to set the legal marriage age in Belize at eighteen. Minister Dolores Balderamos-Garcia explained that this proposed law gained overwhelming support from various sectors, including the churches. She highlighted that while child marriage and unions impact both boys and girls, the consequences are often more severe for girls.

 

Dolores Balderamos-Garcia

“The major burden, Madam Speaker is on girls because it prematurely exposes them to health risks of early childbirth or unwanted pregnancies and related complications, and it increases their risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It also increases a child’s vulnerability to domestic violence and as well Madam Speaker, perpetuating the cycle of poverty.”

 

In making her presentation, Balderamos-Garcia explained why increasing the legal age of marriage is the right thing for Belize.

 

Dolores Balderamos-Garcia

“Madam Speaker, moving to the adulthood age for marriage is a good thing to do because marriage is a contract. I have said it before, no disrespect to any church leader whatsoever, but I have said that you’re married not because you went to church, but because you signed a binding contract which I believe only adults should be able to do. So I put it to this House this afternoon that ending child marriages and early unions will have a positive multiplier effect on promoting all our strategies for gender equity and equality in Belize. I believe that the strong consensus in favour of raising the legal marriage age to eighteen years is a good thing and I therefore make my contribution and I urge others to do the same.”

 

News Fives caught up with two of the youth parliamentarians who attended today’s house sitting to witness the passage of the bill. Victoria Usher made Centro Escolar Mexico Junior College proud with her impressive representation at the Youth Parliament. Carlos Nah also shone brightly, bringing honor to Corozal Junior College with his participation.

 

Carlos Nah, Student, Corozal Junior College

“For me this issue is really impactful to see the brilliant minds that we had last year. And it’s very inspiring because we are the future generation of Belize. And when we heard about this bill, we never knew anything about it and when we were doing the research, they barely had limited information. So thanks to this movement that we did recently, I did an essay about it, and I really was inspired by looking at the new research that they had this year. And I’m really inspired because the little impact that we did is already changing a movement.”

 

Victoria Usher, Student, Centro Escolar Mexico Junior College

“Coming into a marriage at an early age can cause different situations, possibly girls dropping out of school, even the males dropping out of schools. Many people think that it only affects the females. No, it also affects the males.”

 

Following the Minister’s presentation, she told the media that today’s passing of the bill was simply building on the foundation that the youths had already laid for themselves.

 

Dolores Balderamos-Garcia

“We have only carried forward what they presented to us a year ago in November and it was a robust discussion and debate in Parliament for the Youth Parliament. Well, like I said, I call it Children’s Parliament, but I prefer to say youth, you know. This is all about them and big, big kudos to every single one of the youth parliamentarians today.”

 

Marion Ali for News Five.