Just a reminder | Did you know that 48 US states allow "child marriage"?

For those under  18, with parental consent and judicial approval

Many may not know that local law in 48 US states allows “child marriage” under the age of 18 with parental consent and judicial approval, but the Senate of the state of Massachusetts unanimously passed a bill banning child marriage in the state, according to the “Sky News Arabia” website.

The voting session on the bill was attended by “rights advocates and volunteers” from the United Nations Children's Fund, “UNICEF”, and supporters of an association concerned with children's rights.

They applauded warmly after the local legislature announced the passing of the law, which crowned their efforts in seeking to end child marriage in this state.

The law in Massachusetts allowed the marriage of children under the age of 18 with parental consent and judicial approval.

The human rights organisation “Human Rights Watch” wrote on its website on Friday that 1,200 children were married in the state of Massachusetts between 2000 and 2016, and that most of these marriages joined underage girls with adult men.

It explained that these marriages expose underage girls to the risk of harm to their health and hinder their access to education, in addition to the problems of poverty and domestic violence.

Where these circumstances were met, there was legally no minimum age of marriage.

The new law in the US state bans marriage under the age of 18 and accepts no exceptions whatsoever.

“Human Rights Watch” said that the unanimity shown by the lawmakers in the Massachusetts legislature sends a strong message to the survivors of child marriage who dared to speak out about the stories of the pain they suffered.

It added that their stories showed how marriage at an early age robs them of their childhood and their rights.

28 July 2019 – 25 Dhu al-Qadah 1440 02:07 PM

For those under  18, with parental consent and judicial approval

Did you know that 48 US states allow “child marriage”?

Many may not know that local law in 48 US states allows “child marriage” under the age of 18 with parental consent and judicial approval, but the Senate of the state of Massachusetts unanimously passed a bill banning child marriage in the state, according to the “Sky News Arabia” website.

The voting session on the bill was attended by “rights advocates and volunteers” from the United Nations Children's Fund, “UNICEF”, and supporters of an association concerned with children's rights.

They applauded warmly after the local legislature announced the passing of the law, which crowned their efforts in seeking to end child marriage in this state.

The law in Massachusetts allowed the marriage of children under the age of 18 with parental consent and judicial approval.

The human rights organisation “Human Rights Watch” wrote on its website on Friday that 1,200 children were married in the state of Massachusetts between 2000 and 2016, and that most of these marriages joined underage girls with adult men.

It explained that these marriages expose underage girls to the risk of harm to their health and hinder their access to education, in addition to the problems of poverty and domestic violence.

Where these circumstances were met, there was legally no minimum age of marriage.

The new law in the US state bans marriage under the age of 18 and accepts no exceptions whatsoever.

“Human Rights Watch” said that the unanimity shown by the lawmakers in the Massachusetts legislature sends a strong message to the survivors of child marriage who dared to speak out about the stories of the pain they suffered.

It added that their stories showed how marriage at an early age robs them of their childhood and their rights.