Finance Minister John O’Dowd has moved to ban child marriage in Northern Ireland by introducing new laws that will raise the minimum age for marriage and civil partnership to 18.
Under current rules, 16 and 17-year-olds can marry or enter a civil partnership with parental consent. The new Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill will scrap that provision, setting 18 as the absolute minimum age – and making it a criminal offence to arrange a marriage involving anyone under 18.
Mr O’Dowd told MLAs the change was about “better safeguarding our children and young people”.
“Child marriage can increase the risk of forced marriage and can deprive children of education and other essential life opportunities,” he said.
“Girls, who are more frequently married as children than boys, are especially at risk.
“Organisations such as the United Nations and local stakeholders recommend raising the minimum age for marriage from the present 16 to 18. I am therefore convinced of the need for change, particularly given that almost every respondent to the consultation supported raising the minimum age.”
The Bill will also give permanent legal recognition to “belief marriages” – legally binding ceremonies conducted by celebrants for those who follow non‑religious belief systems, such as humanism.
Belief marriages have been operating here under temporary arrangements for several years, but the new law will put them on the same statutory footing as religious marriages.
“For several years, belief marriages have been permitted through temporary arrangements,” the Minister added. “This Bill will now put belief marriages on a permanent legal footing, giving them the same statutory recognition as religious marriages.”
Key changes in the Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill:
- Raises the minimum age for marriage and civil partnership from 16 to 18
- Removes parental consent as a route to under‑18 marriage
- Criminalises arranging a marriage involving anyone under 18
- Formally recognises belief marriages in law on the same basis as religious marriages
