By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Colombia’s congress has passed a bill raising the minimum age for marriage to 18, aiming to safeguard the rights and future of minors. This crucial step, which still requires presidential approval, seeks to combat the harmful practice of child marriage, a global issue that disproportionately affects young girls. While child marriage rates have been decreasing globally, they remain a serious concern, especially in Latin America where poverty contributes significantly to the practice. This legislation represents a significant step towards protecting children from the exploitation and deprivation associated with early marriage.
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Colombia has taken a significant step towards protecting children’s rights by voting to outlaw child marriage. This landmark decision, which still requires President Gustavo Petro’s signature to become law, will raise the minimum age for marriage to 18, effectively ending the practice of allowing minors to marry with parental consent.
The proposal to reform the law, which was presented in 2023, resonated with many under the slogan “they’re girls, not wives.” This powerful message highlighted the vulnerability of young girls who are forced into marriage, often facing violence and missing out on crucial education and development opportunities.
This victory for Colombian children is particularly noteworthy in light of the ongoing debate about child marriage in the United States. While Colombia has taken concrete action to eliminate this harmful practice, the US continues to struggle with its own child marriage laws. Currently, child marriage is legal in 37 US states, and between 2000 and 2018, a staggering 300,000 minors were legally married in the US.
Many Americans are expressing shock and disbelief at the prevalence of child marriage in their own country. While some states have taken steps to ban underage marriages, the fact that it is still legal in a majority of states raises serious concerns about the protection of children’s rights. Some even go so far as to compare the US to a “third world country” in terms of its child marriage laws.
The US’s failure to outlaw child marriage federally, despite its commitment to international conventions on children’s rights, has drawn criticism from those who see it as a blatant disregard for the well-being of young people. The contrast between Colombia’s proactive stance on child marriage and the US’s inaction highlights the need for a serious reevaluation of the laws and practices surrounding this issue in the US. It’s a stark reminder that even in developed countries, the fight for children’s rights is far from over.