Bill that would prohibit marriage to minors advances in Legislature

June 25^th, 2015 (InsideCostaRica.com) A bill that seeks to ban marriage of anyone under the age of 18, even with parental consent, advanced Wednesday in Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly and is on the verge of approval, Amelia Rueda reports.

Currently, those aged 15 to 17 can marry with the approval of their parents.

According to census data from 2011, 7 percent of adolescents aged 12 to 19 had lived with a romantic partner and 1.3 percent had been legally married. In 98% percent of cases, the relationship or marriage was to a legal adult.

The bill has the support of the Legislature’s Committee on Childhood.