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Regulations

Child marriage laws

The repository of child marriage laws of the Gender Equality Observatory for Latin America and the Caribbean gathers more than 30 normative bodies and legal rulings, classified by country, from 31 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, in addition to the legislation of Spain and Portugal on this issue.

These laws are classified into: those of countries that absolutely prohibit marriage before the age of 18; those that allow marriage from the age of 16 through judicial authorization or legal representatives; and finally, those that allow it before the age of 16 for qualified reasons.

Child marriage is currently prohibited in 9 countries in Latin America and 2 in the Caribbean. The last country to legislate this prohibition was the Dominican Republic in January 2021.

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  • 2015
    Paraguay

    Ley 5.491, que modifica los artículos 17 y 20 de la Ley n° 1/92 “de reforma parcial del Código Civil”

    Determina que los menores a partir de los 16 años cumplidos y hasta los 18 años, necesitan el consentimiento de sus padres o tutor para contraer nupcias. A falta o incapacidad de uno de los padres bastará con el consentimiento del otro. Si ambos fueren incapaces o hubieren perdido la patria potestad decidirá el Juez de la Niñez y la Adolescencia.