Justice ministry endorses bill seeking to end early marriages

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 3, ARMENPRESS. Member of Parliament Rustam Bakoyan from the ruling Civil Contract faction has introduced a legislative initiative to officially set the minimum age of marriage 18 without any exceptions.

Though uncommon, marriages among 16- or 17-year-olds have been taking place with parental consent.

Speaking at a parliamentary committee hearing, Deputy Minister of Justice Armenuhi Harutyunyan endorsed the bill, saying that the government is definitively in favor of the initiative.

“The government is definitely in favor of this initiative by the member of parliament. Thus, the state is showing its attitude on the legislative level towards early marriages, because otherwise it would turn out that the state or the law encourage the early marriages, the marriages of underage persons,” Harutyunyan said.

Harutyunyan said the ministry has data that marriages among minors have decreased.

Only five marriages involving 16-year-olds were recorded in 2021. In 2022 the number was 4, in 2023 it was 3, and only 2 in 2024.

49 marriages involving 17-year-olds were recorded in 2021, 26 in 2022, 24 in 2023 and 9 in 2024.

“These are small numbers, but nearly 100 percent of these marriages produce children, and childbirth among minors comprise a big number, which is concerning,” Harutyunyan said.