UNICEF Supports Change to Legal Age of Marriage

On Tuesday, the House of Representatives made a historic decision to raise the legal age of marriage to eighteen. This change was sparked by debates during the 2023 National Youth Parliament. Today, we spoke with UNICEF’s Country Representative, Alison Parker, to get her take on this significant move. We also heard from Speaker of the House, Valerie Woods, for her perspective.

 

Alison Parker, Country Representative, UNICEF

“I think that is a fundamental one. For us at UNICEF, marriage is a legal contract, it is a legal document and a legal enterprise. Yes, it has to do with a love relationship but it’s legal. I want to ask if a fourteen-year-old is capable of making a legal decision and know what a legal contract is. Is a sixteen-year-old daughter and niece out there able to understand what that legislation means for them as a person and for their future. If we cannot answer that question then the age of marriage needs to be raised to an age where people are mentally, psychologically and culturally developed for them to understand what the contract is they are entering into.”

 

Valerie Woods, Speaker of the House of Representatives

“What happened at the House of Representatives this week is a testament of what young people can do. They were able to influence legislation and a meaningful one, raising the legal age of marriage which affects so many girls. It affects boys as well, one of the youth parliamentarian made the point that it was not only girls at that age being affected, it was also our boys. So, it is important to know that their voice has power.”