Activists resist lowering marriage age to 18

risingnepaldaily.com · 1 week ago

Child rights activists are protesting the government's proposal to lower the legal marriage age to 18, arguing it will negatively impact children's health, education, and development. Organizations like Children as Zone of Peace (CZOP) and former officials from the National Council for Child Rights emphasize that studies show adverse effects on education, mental health, economic status, and reproductive health when the marriage age is lowered. They cite international examples and WHO data on the risks of early pregnancy, advocating for comprehensive studies before any changes are made to the current legal age of 20.