Marriages are usually things met with great celebrations as two people who have taken the time to get to know each other decide to commit to each other.
Recently, a wedding’s viral celebration was met with shock from local authorities due to the ages of the bride and groom.
Authorities responded to a wedding that took place on March 13, 2024, in a village in the eastern province of Shandong in China. Video of the wedding had been circulating online showing two children, a secondary school boy reportedly 14 years old and a girl of a younger unmentioned age, participating in traditional marriage customs.
The two teens reportedly met in September of 2023 and had their marriage approved by both parents, who helped to hold the wedding.
However, in China, the legal age for marriage is 22 for men and 20 for women, making this marriage unable to be recognized. Additionally, a law in place prevents parents from allowing, forcing, or arranging marriage for their children.
Several different authorities, including public security, civil affairs, and education, were made aware of this incident and criticized and educated the parents. The girl was also ordered to return home.
We urge these parents to fulfil their guardianship duties and we will provide psychological guidance for the two minors as a next-step measurement.
— A local government official
Child marriage can have numerous risks for both boys and girls, including increased medical and mental health problems, higher drop-out rates from high school and college, and a larger risk of poverty.
