The federal government of Austria has agreed to ban all marriages below the age of 18, Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer confirmed on Monday.
At the moment, below the Austrian Civil Code, the authorized age for marriage is eighteen, though this rule contains an exception. Minors from the age of 16 also can legally marry with the consent of their authorized representatives and the approval of a courtroom. The brand new reform will eradicate this exception, leaving marriages solely for folks over 18 years of age. In response to local media, Justice Minister Alma Zadic acknowledged that this reform will assist the combat towards compelled marriages.
Austrian information outlet Kurier reported one of many causes for this reform is UNICEF’s worldwide name for a minimal age of marriage of 18 years. The European Union doesn’t legislate on marriage, leaving area for every member state to determine guidelines on the matter. On this sense, all member states require the authorized age of marriage to be the identical because the age of majority, set at 18 for many states. Regardless of this, most international locations are free to determine exceptions.
At a global stage, General Comment No. 4 of the Committee on the Rights of the Baby, explicitly recommends “laws and apply to extend the minimal age for marriage with and with out parental consent to 18 years.” That is finished to guard kids from compelled marriages, describing early marriage as a “dangerous conventional apply.”
The reform plan may even search to ban marriages between first cousins.
Source / Picture: jurist.org
