#THEGIRLDEFENDERS alliance commended the House of Representatives for passing a measure that will prohibit child marriage in the Philippines

House Bill 9943 seeks to provide equal protection for all children, especially girls, by prohibiting child marriage and criminalizing its facilitation and solemnization nationwide.

The bill defines child marriage as an act of child abuse punishable under Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination.

Affirming that marriage shall be entered into only with free and full consent of intending spouses, the bill declares that betrothal and child marriages shall have no legal effect. It also mandates  government agencies and local government units to launch culturally-sensitive programs and services that will help prevent the practice of child marriage.

“We wish to thank leaders from Congress who are championing the bill prohibiting child marriage. The full force of the #GirlDefenders alliance is with you in this fight to end child marriage. We have supported the passage on Third Reading of SB 1373 or the Girls not Brides Act with Senator Risa Hontiveros at the helm. We are supporting champions from the House of Representatives – led by Rep. Maria Lourdes Acosta-Alba, Deputy Speaker Bernadette Herrera, Rep. Edcel Lagman and other bill authors –  towards the passage of the House bill prohibiting child marriage. Let this bill be your legacy – a legislation for children and youth supported by their sectors. Together, we will win this historic fight that will benefit generations of Filipinos, especially women and girls,” said Rom Dongeto, executive director of the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development and lead of the #GirlDefenders alliance.

Senate Bill 1373 or Girls Not Brides Act was approved on final reading in November 2020.

The Philippines ranks 10th worldwide in terms of absolute number of child marriages – a 2 percent increase believed to be negatively impacted by the Covid19 pandemic.

Despite laws setting the minimum age for marriage at 18 years old, child marriage happens in the country for various reasons: the Code of Muslim Personal Laws allowing parents to marry off their children at puberty, cultural tradition among religious and indigenous communities, and poverty and lack of education, among others.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, marriage and family matters is the top reason for girls dropping out of school, while pregnancy and childbirth-related complications among young mothers account for 22 percent of all maternal deaths.

The #GirlDefenders alliance is led by the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development and is composed of sectors from national government agencies, legislators, civil society organizations and children and youth organizations.