From Commitment to Action: How Governments Enforced Legal Reforms to End Child Marriage in 2025

Child marriage continues to harm millions of children despite growing global recognition of its damaging consequences. Rooted in long-standing social norms and gender inequality, this practice persists even as societies progress in other areas. Governments, civil society groups, non-governmental organisations, and individuals across the world are working tirelessly to eliminate child marriage. Yet, lasting change requires robust legal frameworks and effective enforcement. In recent years, several countries have introduced or strengthened existing laws to protect children and safeguard their right to a safe and dignified childhood. This blog highlights key legal developments from around the world in 2025, demonstrating how legislative reforms can be a powerful tool in ending child marriage and securing safer futures for every child.

Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2025 (Pakistan)

Pakistan’s latest historic legislative reform has renewed hope among child rights activists and practitioners globally. On May 16, 2025, the Parliament passed the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2025, aimed at ending early and forced marriages. The new law sets the minimum legal age of marriage at 18 for both boys and girls in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and imposes stricter penalties, including up to seven years of imprisonment, for those who facilitate child marriages. The law also clarifies that sexual relations involving a minor, even within marriage or with consent, will be considered statutory rape. If an adult man is found to have married a girl under the age of 18, he may face up to three years of imprisonment. This legal reform repeals the outdated Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929 for Islamabad.

Previously, Sindh was the only province in Pakistan to pass a similar law in 2013, establishing a gender-equal legal framework for the minimum age of marriage. In Pakistan, legislative authority is shared between the national and provincial governments. The decision of two of the country’s four provinces to amend regressive laws that support child marriage is a significant development, particularly because nationally over 21 per cent of girls are married before the age of 18, and 3 per cent before they turn 15. This landmark initiative demonstrates the country’s commitment to its children and reflects a growing emphasis on inclusivity.

Bolivia Ends Child Marriage by Setting 18 as the Minimum Age

Bolivia has taken a remarkable step towards strengthening the protection of adolescent girls and boys by approving an amendment to raise the minimum legal age for marriage to 18 years old, with no exceptions, in 2025. The legal reform amends Bolivia's 2014 Family and Family Procedure Code, which criminalizes the act of marrying a child under the age of 18. It further clarifies that the officials who register child marriages may face penalties of up to four years of imprisonment. With this reform, Bolivia becomes the 14th country to ban child marriage in Latin America. 

Under the previous law, children aged 16 and 17 were permitted to marry with the consent of parents or guardians. The new law abolishes this legal exception, thus ensuring that children are able to enjoy their childhood in safety, dignity, and protection. The recent initiative of Bolivia’s Parliament stands as a testament to the sustained advocacy and dedication of various non-profit organisations over a four-year campaign. In Bolivia, approximately 3 per cent of girls are married before the age of 15, while 22 per cent are married before the age of 18. Between 2014 and 2023, more than 4,800 marriages were registered involving adolescents aged 16 and 17.

Colombia Prohibits Child Marriage with No Exceptions

Colombia has taken a historic step towards protecting children’s rights with the enforcement of a new law that raises the legal minimum age of marriage to 18, without any exceptions. The reform abolished provisions that previously allowed minors to marry with parental consent. The approval of this law in early 2025 is a result of 17 years of sustained campaigning by advocacy groups and multiple legislative efforts. 

UNICEF data indicate that 4.5 million girls and women in Colombia were married before the age of 18, including one million who were married before 15 years of age. The law addresses the ongoing problem of child marriage and informal unions, especially among girls from poor, rural, and Indigenous communities. Across Latin America and the Caribbean, early unions remain common and are closely linked to poverty, lack of education, and high rates of adolescent pregnancy. 

In addition to the countries mentioned above, several other nations are moving towards greater inclusivity by updating their marriage laws. Portugal is one such country that has raised the minimum legal age for marriage to 18, with no exceptions, in 2025. Earlier, 16- and 17-year-olds were permitted to marry with the consent of their parents. This legal reform aims to end child, early, and forced marriages by ensuring that only consenting adults enter a union.  Although under a transitional rule, marriages involving 16- to 18-year-olds that were lawfully registered before the new law came into effect will continue to be recognised, along with any legal status arising from them, until both spouses reach adulthood. Kuwait has also taken an important step towards protecting children by raising the minimum legal age for marriage to 18. The reform, which came into effect on 16 March 2025, prohibits the registration or approval of marriage contracts involving anyone under 18 years of age. Under the previous legal framework, girls were permitted to marry at 15 and boys at 17 with parental or judicial consent. 

Recent legal reforms undertaken by several nations are an optimistic and encouraging step towards fulfilling global commitments to end child marriage, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5.3, which calls on States to eliminate child, early and forced marriage by 2030. These actions reflect growing political will to protect children’s rights and uphold international human rights standards. At the same time, countries where child marriage persists must be encouraged to adopt and enforce similar legal protections without delay. For sustainable change, legislation must be supported by effective implementation, monitoring, and accountability mechanisms. These reforms can accelerate progress towards eliminating child marriage by 2030, when combined with access to education, economic opportunities, and social protection. With continued global cooperation and commitment, a future where every child can grow up safe, educated, and empowered is indeed within reach.