President of the Dominican Republic Approves Bill to End Child Marriage Share
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anuary 6, 2021 was a historic day in the Dominican Republic’s fight to protect children from violence. President Abinader approved a bill that eliminates all legal grounds for child marriage and safeguards the fundamental rights of children, particularly girls who had been vulnerable to this prevalent practice.
The Dominican Republic has the highest rates of child marriage in the Latin America and Caribbean Region. “This harmful practice results in a lack of protection, inequality, lack of opportunities, and early pregnancy for girls. It also has a direct impact on the country s economy,” explained Sonia Hernandez, Associate Director of Public Justice System Strengthening for IJM. Global experts agree it can also increase children’s vulnerability to sex trafficking.
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Lead Photo: Art by Stephany Torres for Remezcla
Art by Stephany Torres for Remezcla
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On Wednesday, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader signed a bill that bans child marriage by prohibiting marriage for individuals under the age of 18. The law also creates the Cabinet of Women, Adolescents and Girls under the Ministry of Women, designed to combat violence and encourage gender parity. Activists, who had campaigned for the ban after noting legal loopholes that allowed children to be forced into marriage, applauded the decision.
According to UNICEF, the Dominican Republic has had one of Latin America’s highest rates of child marriages and early unions, often with girls living with older men. The country’s government figures show that more than a third of women aged 20 to 24 were married or in an informal union before they were 18. While victims of child marriage include both girls and boys, many advocates have noticed that girls are primarily affected and can face
Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader has signed a bill on Wednesday that officially banned child marriages in the country.
The Dominican Republic has the highest rates of child marriage in Latin America and the Caribbean. According to a We Are Mitu report, figures from the government showed that 36 percent of Dominican girls and adolescents marry or enter into unions before 18.
Dominican Republic Officially Banned Child Marriage
It was also found that 12 percent of these figures, the female partner was 15 years old or younger. It has been part of the Dominican culture wherein children younger than 18 years old could get married with a special exemption from a judge.