SOLOMONS TO REVIEW MARRIAGE LAW
Law poster. Photo credit: www.africanelections.org
The Law Reform Commission says it will review the minimum legal age of marriage for Solomon Islands women.
Senior legal officer Clifton Ruele told SIBC News the current minimum legal age for Solomon Islands girls under the Islanders Marriage Act is fifteen years of age, subject to consent from parents and guardians.
But Mr. Ruele says it is part of the Commission’s reference to review the minimum legal age of marriage for women on the Islanders Marriage and Divorce Act of the Penal Code.
He, however, says the review is experiencing setbacks due to a lack of human resources within the Commission and in the different priorities of Governments.
Meanwhile, Papua New Guinea’s Parliament is expected to pass a new law making marriage under the age of 18 illegal soon.
ABC reports women’s groups in the Pacific said they will be watching the PNG law to see how it could be reflected in the region.