CHR lauds Senate for passing bill criminalizing child marriages on 2nd reading

MANILA, Philippines —The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) hailed the Senate for passing on second reading a proposed bill that makes child marriages illegal, despite its busy schedule due to budget negotiations and COVID-19 pandemic measures.

CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia explained in a statement Wednesday that it is still necessary to focus on protecting children from abuse despite the health crises.

Last Monday — a day after the International Day of the Girl Child — Senate Bill No. 1373 or the Girls Not Brides Act hurdled the second reading at the Senate.  If passed, the measure would declare child marriage — common among rural areas — as a public crime.

“While the country is still in the middle of a health crisis, such legislative move is a welcome development, especially now that there is an increasing number of children falling into poverty due to pandemic.   Girls in the poorest households are more vulnerable and at risk of early or forced marriage,” De Guia said.

“The current situation demands immediate and stronger protection for children against possible abuse by imposing sanctions on individuals who participate in the practice of child marriage,” she added.

According to CHR, child marriage is a flagrant violation of children’s rights, particularly girls who seem more vulnerable to such incidents. The agency noted that it “undermines girls’ health, including their right to sexual and reproductive health.”

The CHR reiterated that marriage before 18 years of age is a fundamental breach of the child’s rights, and early marriage interrupts girls’ education and jeopardizes their political and economic involvement.

The United Nations Children’s Fund ( Unicef) says child marriage is still widespread despite being considered a crime in many nations. Unicef reports that about 21% of girls around the world were married before 18 years of age.

As 12 million girls are wed every year before they reach their legal age, Unicef says that the number of women alive today, married as minors, is at 650 million.

Although most underage marriages occur in African countries, the Philippines still has a disturbing infant marriage rate. The site created by advocacy group Girls Not Brides says that 15 percent of Filipino girls are married before they reach the age of 18. At the same time, 726,000 are burdened with the prospect of marrying at the age of 18 due to cultural misconceptions, early pregnancy, and other factors.

“While we recognize that the prohibition of child marriage might cause resistance from other sectors of society as it is a part of their customary practices, we are always for the prioritization of the overall wellbeing and the best interest of children,” De Guia said.

“In solidarity with the women and children’s rights movement in the country, we have consistently advocated for ways on how we could mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on girls’ protection, access to education, and their vulnerabilities. The Commission also expresses its commitment to working with various government agencies in addressing the problem of child marriage,” she added. [ac]