Bolivia prohibits child marriage without exception through new legal reform

Bolivia’s Chamber of Deputies has approved a bill raising the minimum age of marriage to 18, closing a loophole that previously allowed girls as young as 16 to marry.

The reform will take effect once signed by the President, establishing 18 years as the nationwide minimum.

An estimated 83,000 people are living in modern slavery in Bolivia, according to the latest Global Slavery Index.

Raising the marriage age is an important step towards reducing these numbers and protecting girls from exploitation.

Child marriage and early unions remain widespread in Bolivia, with harmful impacts on girls, particularly in rural and Indigenous communities.

These practices are linked to poverty and harmful gender norms, exposing girls to violence, early pregnancy, school drop-out, and even femicide.

More than 11,000 adolescents aged 13 to 17 were married in Bolivia between 2010 and 2022, according to the Civil Registry Service.

From 2014 to 2023 alone, 5,169 child marriages were registered; the vast majority involved girls under 18.

Bolivia’s reform closes this legal gap and highlights a commitment to ending a practice that undermines the rights and futures of thousands of girls.

Child marriage is recognised as a violation of human rights under international law.

Frameworks such as the Belém do Pará Convention, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women explicitly prohibit the practice.

These treaties state that marriage under 18, even with parental consent, violates fundamental rights to education, health, and development.

With this reform, Bolivia moves closer to meeting its international commitments to protect girls from violence and harmful practices.

“If approved, this will be a victory in the fight against child marriage as it seeks to eliminate legal loopholes that enabled girls and boys to be married from the age of 16,” Walk Free’s Research and Policy Analyst Ana Ardila explains.

“The reform brings national legislation in line with international standards and sets a strong precedent for Latin America. The proposed laws must be supported by effective implementation, which must urgently address the structural drivers of child and forced marriages and unions.

“We urge the President of Bolivia Luis Arce to approve this reform and reaffirm the Government’s commitment to protecting the rights of girls and adolescents.”

The prohibition of child marriage in Bolivia follows years of advocacy by local organisations, women’s rights defenders, and international partners.

Local groups Comunidad de Derechos Humanos and Ipas Bolivia, supported by Equality Now, worked with Senator Virginia Velasco, who introduced the bill, to push the reform forward.

Despite opposition rooted in gender stereotypes, advocates persisted in pushing for change.

Passing the law is only the beginning.

Effective implementation is essential to address the root causes of child and forced marriage, including poverty, discrimination, and entrenched gender norms.

Walk Free recommends that the Government of Bolivia:

• Ensure effective enforcement of the ban on child marriage across all regions, including rural and Indigenous communities.
• Strengthen prevention strategies, including education campaigns, to address harmful cultural norms.
• Provide support services for girls and adolescents at risk, including access to education, health care, and protection from violence.

These measures would ensure that the prohibition of child marriage is not only a legal milestone but a meaningful safeguard for the rights and futures of girls across Bolivia.