Jersey To End ‘Child Marriage’?

The age at which a person can marry in Jersey could rise from 16 to 18.

Islanders are being asked what we think, after a recommendation from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child which considers it ‘child marriage’.

It’s one of several changes that could be made to the island’s marriage, civil partnership and divorce laws.

Work is already underway to scrap the rule that couples have to married for three years before they can file for divorce.

An online questionnaire is also gathering opinion on moving to ‘no fault’ and ‘joint filing’ divorces.

Consideration is being given to either extending civil partnerships to opposite-sex couples, to closing that type of union to new couples following the introduction earlier this year of same-sex marriage.

There will be three public meetings in January for people to give their views.