CRC concluding observations 2023, paragraph 18
Plain English recommendation
Children aged 16 and 17 are not always protected as children, and marriage under the age of 18 is still allowed in Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Overseas Territories, Guernsey and the Isle of Man; Saint Helena does not plan to raise the minimum age of marriage to 18 for all young people. To deal with this, the government should: (a) Ensure that 16- and 17-year-olds are protected as children by the law in all areas and that this is put into practice, including by reviewing age-based laws; (b) Ban marriage under the age of 18 in Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Overseas Territories, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.
Original UN recommendation
he Committee is concerned that children who are 16 and 17 years of age do not always receive protection as children, and that marriage under 18 years of age remains permissible in Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies of Guernsey and the Isle of Man. In particular, the Committee is concerned about the information provided during the dialogue that Saint Helena does not plan to raise the minimum age of marriage to 18 years without exception. The Committee recommends that the State party: (a) Ensure that all children, including those who are 16 and 17 years of age, are defined as children in law and receive protection as children in practice, including by undertaking a review of age-based legislation throughout all jurisdictions of the State party; (b) Prohibit all marriages under 18 years of age, without exception, in Scotland, Northern Ireland and all Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies of Guernsey and the Isle of Man.
Date of UN examination
18/05/2023
UN article number
1
Original UN document
Download the original CRC concluding observations 2023 on the UN website.