9th October 2024

Ending child, early and forced marriages and unions in Argentina: Legal and policy frameworks

End harmful practices Latin America and the Caribbean

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This report, developed by Equality Now in collaboration with CLADEM, examines the legal and policy frameworks surrounding child, early, and forced marriages and unions (CEFMU) in Argentina. It highlights gaps in current laws, particularly the provisions allowing minors to marry with parental or judicial consent, and calls for reforms to protect girls and adolescents. The report advocates for setting the minimum marriage age at 18 without exceptions, addressing underlying structural inequalities, and promoting education and public awareness to prevent CEFMU.

What’s inside the report?

  • Legal analysis: The report reviews Argentina’s current laws on child marriage, identifying gaps in protection for girls, such as allowing judicial dispensations for marriage under 18.
  • Data and prevalence: It presents data on child, early, and forced marriages in Argentina, highlighting the high rates of informal unions among adolescents.
  • Recommendations: The report outlines actionable steps, including legal reforms to prohibit marriage under 18 without exceptions, and a multi-sectoral approach to address the root causes of CEFMU, such as poverty and gender-based violence.

Who’s it for?

  • Legislators in Argentina (local and national)
  • Decision-makers in the executive and judicial branches in Argentina
  • Journalists/media

Key recommendations

  • Argentina must raise the minimum age of marriage to 18 without exceptions, aligning with international human rights standards.
  • Argentina must implement strategies to prevent child marriages, including community education, economic empowerment for adolescents, and access to comprehensive sexuality education and reproductive health services.
  • Ensuring the availability of updated and detailed data on child, early, and forced marriages is key to designing effective public policies and addressing the structural causes of these practices.

About

9 October 2024

6 pages

Languages

EN

ES

Classification

Briefs
End harmful practices
Latin America and the Caribbean

More information

For more information, contact Sofia Quiroga, Equality Now’s Strategic Partnerships and Advocacy Officer for Latin America and the Caribbean, and Program Officer in Argentina at squiroga@equalitynow.org.

Read more in our press release.

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