As India Moves To Raise Legal Marriage Age Of Women, Here Is A Look At The Laws Around The World

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union Cabinet has cleared a proposal to bring in uniformity in the marriageable age of men and women.

(Representative Image)

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet has cleared the proposal to raise the minimum age of marriage for women from 18 to 21 years in India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Cabinet with this decision made earlier on Wednesday brings the marriage age for both men and women at par.

Here is a look at the legal marriage age in some other nations:

United States:

The age of marriage in the country is determined by each state and territory. An individual in most states of the United States can marry at the age of 18. Nebraska in the country’s midwestern region is, however, an exception as the general age of marriage is 19 years. Similarly, the age of marriage is 21 years in Mississippi. The general age of marriage in most states of the country is the age of majority. However, the general age of marriage in the southeastern state of Alabama is 18 years and the age of majority is 19 years.

United Kingdom:

An individual in England and Wales can marry at the age of 18. The people can also marry at the age of 16 or 17 with parental permission. There is, however, no law prohibiting religious or cultural ceremonies held under this age that are not registered with local council, as per a BBC report.

China:

The legal marriage age for men and women is 22 years and 20 years respectively in China. There have, however, been debates with regard to lowering the marriage age limit in the country. Putting forth his views at the annual Two Sessions earlier this year, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference proposed lowering the legal marriage age in the country to 18 years. There have, however, been opposing views on the same.

Trinidad and Tobago:

The legal marriage age for both and women is 18 years in this dual-island Caribbean nation, as per the US State Department’s 2014 human rights report. The Hindus and Muslims, however, have their own Marriage Act in this country. According to reports, the Hindu men and girls can marry at the age of 18 years and 14 years, while the Muslims cam marry at the age of 16 years for men and 12 years for girls in Trinidad and Tobago.

Estonia:

The teenagers can marry with parental consent at the age of 15 in Estonia, which has the lowest marriage age in Europe. As per a report by the Independent, the Spanish government had earlier in 2015 announced to raise the marriage age from 14 to 16 years in order to bring it in line with the rest of Europe.