New York Has Finally Outlawed Child Marriage
The state of New York officially outlawed child marriage today, the result of a years-long campaign to make it illegal for people under the age of 18 to be married.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed two bills into law raising the official age of consent to get married to 18 years old.
“This is a major step forward in our efforts to protect children and prevent forced marriages,” Cuomo said.
The previous law allowed children as young as 14 to marry with a judge’s approval, and 16 with a parent’s approval.
Read More: Everything You Need to Know About Child Marriage
Between 2001 to 2010, 3,850 children under 18 married in New York State, according to Human Rights Watch.