Kuwait Raises Legal Marriage Age to 18 to Protect Children’s Rights
-
Hashim Sheikh
- . February 15, 2025
- . Update: February 15, 2025 2:59 pm
Kuwait made a big step by setting the minimum marriage age at 18. This was announced by Justice Minister Nasser Al Sumait as the new law would seek to guard children and tighten family bonds. This happened after Kuwait found out that more than 1,000 underage weddings taking place in 2024 with divorce for couples under this age.
Research shows that marriages between people under 18 experience a 100% higher divorce rate than adults proving why the government must act. The new law makes Kuwait match international standards set by both the Rights of the Child Convention and the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women Convention.
Through the new law, Kuwait upholds its constitutional values by protecting the family (Articles 9 and 10) which make it the basis of society and order the government to defend motherhood and childhood.
The minister believes this update will bring families closer together while making fewer people end their marriages and helping Kuwait achieve its target of creating a lasting society. This initiative protects young people from early marriage to help them develop before starting families while improving family relationships.