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A parliamentary subcommittee under the Law, Justice, and Human Rights Committee of the House of Representatives of Nepal has proposed lowering Nepal’s legal age of marriage from 20 to 18 years. According to the Marriage Registration Act, the minimum legal age of marriage in Nepal is 20 years for girls and boys with no exceptions.
The recommendation comes after a detailed study and monitoring of the law’s implementation in the districts of Madhesh, Lumbini, and Sudurpaschim Provinces, where the realities of rural life have highlighted a growing disconnect between legal stipulations and social practices.
The subcommittee observed that the rigid enforcement of this law has led to unintended consequences, particularly in cases involving young couples who choose to live together before reaching the legal age. Often, such relationships, when reported to authorities, result in legal actions such as charges of rape or kidnapping, further complicating the lives of those involved. The subcommittee has recommended clearer provisions in the law to distinguish between consensual relationships and criminal offences.
According to sources, various girls clubs from Madhesh Pradesh have written to the Prime Minister of Nepal not to reduce the marriage age, as it would adversely affect girls’ education and career prospects. Women and child rights activists opposed lowering the marriage age, arguing that existing legal provisions were achieved through persistent advocacy and changes to present law would undermine women’s and children’s rights.