Just a reminder | A US state bans "child marriage".. 48 other states allow it
The human rights organisation "Human Rights Watch" wrote on its website on Friday that 1200 children were married in Massachusetts between 2000 and 2016, and that most of these marriages joined underage girls with adult men.
It explained that these marriages put underage girls at risk of harm to their health and of being kept out of education, as well as problems of poverty and domestic violence.
Where these circumstances are met, there is 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 powerful message to the survivors of child marriage who dared to speak out about the pain they suffered.
It added that their stories showed how marriage at an early age robs them of their childhood and their rights.
“>The vote on the bill was attended by human 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 state legislature announced the passing of the law, which crowned their efforts to end child marriage in the state. The human rights organisation “Human Rights Watch (opens in a new tab)” wrote on its website on Friday that 1200 children were married in Massachusetts between 2000 and 2016, and that most of these marriages joined underage girls with adult men. It explained that these marriages put underage girls at risk of harm to their health and of being kept out of education, as well as problems of poverty and domestic violence. Local law in 48 US states allows “child marriage (opens in a new tab)” under certain circumstances; the law in Massachusetts, for example, allowed children under the age of 18 to marry with parental consent and judicial approval. Where these circumstances are met, there is 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 powerful message to the survivors of child marriage who dared to speak out about the pain they suffered. It added that their stories showed how marriage at an early age robs them of their childhood and their rights.
