By Anjali Sharma
UNITED NATIONS –UN agencies on Tuesday hailed a decision by the members of congress in Colombia to abolish a law allowing marriages from the age of 14 with parental consent.
UNICEF said that one in five girls aged between 14 and 18 is in a union.
It noted that in November, after several failed attempts, politicians of all stripes approved a bill to overhaul legislation that has been in effect since 1887, reflected a deep-rooted practice that violates the rights of children and adolescents:
“This approval has been possible because we have gathered the consensus of all political parties, highlights Senator Clara López.
“It not only implies prohibition but also a robust public policy that reflects changing customs and raises awareness among the population about the great harm done to children and adolescents with marriages and unions”.
“We want to congratulate Colombia on the magnificent news,” says Bibiana Aido Almagro, the head negatively impact their development.”
Andrea Tague Montaña, gender and development officer at UNICEF in Colombia agrees that the decision is a positive move.
“Child marriages and early unions are understood as harmful practices that not only lead to gender violence but also cause the victims, especially girls, to fall into poverty,” she warned.
“They reinforce discrimination and the idea that the best thing that can happen to them is to marry and have children”.
Ms. Montaña explained that by entering into an unequal power relationship with older partners, girls have few opportunities to decide if they want to have sexual relations, how many children they want to have, or what kind of life they want to lead.
“They enter scenarios where, in many cases, they start fulfilling adult women’s roles. Child labour, domestic work, and care giving become their almost daily tasks,” she added.
“These are girls who stop studying, who lose their rights by entering an early union. It is important to call on society to stop normalizing early unions; this is a violation of rights. Girls do not stop being girls because they are living with a man”.
The bill also establishes actions to strengthen national public policy on childhood and adolescence, including measures to restore the rights of children and adolescents affected by underage marriages and unions, with a special emphasis on remote rural areas to ensure that indigenous peoples and other vulnerable communities can take part.
The new law came into effect once it is signed by President Gustavo Petro.
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