Ages of consent in Asia
Encyclopedia
The ages of consent
for sexual activity vary by jurisdiction across Asia
. The specific activity engaged in or the gender of its participants can also be affected by the law. Below is a discussion of the various laws dealing with this subject. The highlighted age refers to an age at or above which an individual can engage in unfettered sexual relations with another who is also at or above that age. Other variables, for example homosexual relations or close in age exceptions may exist and are noted when relevant, for example in Indonesia
.
The below is a list of all jurisdictions in Asia as listed in List of sovereign states and dependent territories in Asia.
is illegal in Afghanistan
. The minimum age of marriage in Afghanistan is 18 for men and 16 for women.
is 16.
Article 141. Sexual acts with a person under 16.
Sexual intercourse or other sexual acts with a person obviously under 16, by a person who reached 18 years of age, in the absence of elements of crime envisaged in Articles 138, 139 or 140 of this Code, is punished with correctional labor for the term of up to 2 years, or with imprisonment for the term of up to 2 years.
is 16.
Article 152
Sexual intercourse with the person below the age of 16 years-old, as well as the same offences linked with satisfaction of sexual passion in perverted forms shall be
punished by imprisonment up to 3 years.
was inherited by Bangladesh
and makes the age of consent 14.
is 16.
Article 2 of this Act determines the offence as follows:
Any person who has or attempts to have carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of sixteen (16) years except by way of marriage, shall be guilty of an offence: Penalty,
imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than 2 years and not more than 7 years and to whipping not exceeding 24 strokes of the rattan in the case of an adult
or 12 strokes of the rattan in the case of a youthful offender.
, making the age of consent 14 there as well.
Section 375.
A man is said to commit "rape" who, except in the case hereinafter excepted, has sexual intercourse with a woman under circumstances falling under any of the five following descriptions:
First.-- Against her will.
Secondly.-- Without her consent.
Thirdly—With her consent, when her consent has been obtained by putting her in fear of death or hurt.
Fourthly. -- With her consent, when the man knows that he is not her husband, and that her consent is given because she believes that he is another man to whom she is or believes herself to be lawfully married.
Fifthly. -- With or without her consent, when she is under fourteen years.
is 15.
The age of consent in this country is determined by Article 8, of Chapter 4 (Debauchery) of the Law on Suppression of the Kidnapping, Trafficking, and Exploitation of Human Beings, which has been specifically enacted to prohibit sex with children under 15. The law prohibits "debauchery" with a child under 15, and this term (the original Cambodian word is “anacha”) has been interpreted by courts to forbid any form of sexual conduct (both consensual and non-consensual; both 'ordinary' sex and paid sex) with a child under 15. This is the main legal tool used against foreigners engaging in child sex tourism
in Cambodia.
Article 8:
Any person who commits acts of debauchery involving a minor below 15 years old, even if there is consent from the concerned minor, or even if the person has bought such minor from someone else or from a pimp, shall be punished by ten (10) to twenty (20) years in prison. In case of repeat offenses, the maximum punishment term shall be applied.
the age of consent for sexual activity is 14 years, regardless of gender and/or sexual orientation.
the age of consent for sexual activity is 16 for heterosexual couples.
Under s.124 of the Crimes Ordinance (Cap.200), a man who has unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 16 shall be liable to imprisonment for 5 years. Under s.123 of the Crimes Ordinance, a man who has unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 13 shall be liable to imprisonment for life.
Under s.122 of the Crimes Ordinance, a person under the age of 16 cannot in law give any consent which would prevent an act being an assault for the purposes of indecent assault
. Hence, a woman who has sexual intercourse with a boy under 16 will be prosecuted under this section.
The previous position regarding homosexual couples is contained in s.118C which provides that a man who commits or suffers to commit buggery with a man under the age of 21 is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for life. However, this section was struck down as unconstitutional in Leung TC William Roy v Secretary for Justice
.
is 18. Article 111, 112 e 118 of Macau Civil Code. Under this age, is minor, can not exercise its rights including his rights of sexual consent Adult people using them in sex or giving or facilitating it with other incur in 1 until 5 years jaill.And under 16 until 14 years old are also minors, but not children, sex with them is punished with until 3 years jail and until 4 years jail if inexperienced, like virgin even not physically virgin (art. 169º and 168 Macau Penal Code). And under 14 until birth moment are childrem, with sexual acts, even only obscens talks, too much more punished under art. 166 Macau Penal Code (1-8 years jail, until 3 years jail, until 5 years jail and 3 to 10 years jail). Many legal clauses prohibit sexual acts with minors, and also, of course, with children under 14. Obtaining it by "taking advantage of the minor’s inexperience" is also harder punishment(Article 168, Article 169 and others).
's age of consent for sex is 16, except in the state of Manipur
, where it is 14. If the partners are married to each other they may legally engage in sexual activity at a lower age (13 in Manipur and 15 elsewhere).
The Kerala High Court, in 2004, succeeded in recommending the state government increase the age of consent to 18.
The Law Commission of India, has recommended the federal government raise the age of consent for marriage
to 16 from 15. However, none of those proposals have been considered by any of the (federal / state) legislatures till date.
An old British-era law banning "carnal intercourse against the order of nature" was used to prosecute people for having anal or oral sex, though prosecutions are rare. That law (Section 377, Indian Penal Code Act 1860) was constitutionally challenged at the Delhi High Court for violating the human rights of sexual minorities. But after the Delhi High Court declared some parts of the law unconstitutional on the issue, the age of consent for consensual homosexual sex is 18. See LGBT rights in India
.
the national age of consent for heterosexual sexual activity is 19 years for males and 16 years for females. The age of consent for homosexuals is 18. In 2002, the Indonesian Government gave Aceh province the right to introduce Islamic sharia, albeit only to Muslim residents. Sharia gives no restrictions on age at marriage, and defines 9 as the minimum age for consummation, in accordance with the Qur'an
and the example set by Muhammad
. Fifty two regions have since enacted sharia law from the Qur'an, which criminalizes homosexuality.
, sex outside marriage
, regardless of age, is illegal. The minimum age of marriage in Iran is 18 for men and 16 for women. Ways around these regulations include temporary marriages (Nikah mut‘ah
).
"Any person who has sexual intercourse with a female relative to the third generation under the age of 15 with her consent and the offence leads to her death, to pregnancy or loss of virginity [is punishable by death]."
is 13 as specified by the Japanese Penal Code
Articles 176 and 177. However, prefectures
can have ordinances
that prohibit sexual activities with any minor under 18.
‘Rape’, Art. 177 Penal Code
'A person who, through violence or intimidation, has sexual intercourse with a female person of not less than thirteen (13) years of age commits the crime of rape and shall be punished with imprisonment at forced labour for a limited term of not less than two years. The same shall apply to a person who has sexual intercourse with a female person under thirteen (13) years of age.'
'Indecency through compulsion', Art. 176 Penal Code
'A person who, through violence or intimidation, commits an indecent act upon a male or female person of not less than thirteen (13) years of age shall be punished with imprisonment at forced labour for not less than six months nor more than seven years. The same shall apply to a person who commits an indecent act upon a male or female person under thirteen (13) years of age.'
is 16, according to article 122 of the Criminal Code.
Article 122. Sexual Intercourse and Other Actions of a Sexual Character with a Person Under Sixteen Years of Age
Sexual intercourse, sodomy, or lesbianism or other acts of sexual nature, with a person who did not reach sixteen years of age, the guilty party being aware of that fact, shall be punished by restriction of freedom for a period up to three years, or by detention under arrest for a period up to six months, or deprivation of freedom for a period up to five years.
Kazakhstan Criminal Code
. The marriageable age is 15 for girls and 17 for boys.
is 15.
Article 129, Penal Code
An individual that has sexual relations with a girl or a boy whose age is under fifteen (15) will be imprisoned from one (1) to five (5) years, and fined from two (2) to five (5) million kips.
is 18 for both males and females. If the partners are married to one another they can have sexual relations at 15.
Article 505 of the Penal Code
Approximate translation:
" Whoever commits a sexual act with a minor of less than fifteen (15) years, shall be punished with hard labor of up to fifteen (15) years. This penalty shall be for a minimum of five (5) years, if the victim has not attained the age of twelve (12) years. And whoever commits a sexual act with a minor aged more than fifteen (15) years but less than eighteen (18) years, shall be punished by imprisonment for a period varying between 2 months and 2 years ".
Sodomy is punishable with imprisonment not exceeding one year.
In Lebanon homosexuality is illegal.
Section 375
Rape. A man is said to commit "rape" who, except in the case hereinafter excepted, has sexual intercourse with a woman under circumstances falling under any of the following descriptions: (...) Sixthly - With or without her consent, when she is under sixteen years of age.
is illegal in Maldives
. The legal age of marriage is 18 for both males and females.
is 16, regardless of gender and/or sexual orientation.
Article 110.
Sexual intercourse with a person below the age of 16 years shall be punished to imprisonment for a term not to exceeding 3 years or to correctional work not
exceeding 1 years and 6 months.
is 15. Article 153 of the criminal law states that a man who has sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 15 shall be "punished gravely."
is illegal in Oman
. The legal age for marriage is 18 for both boys and girls.
is illegal in Pakistan
. The legal age of marriage is 18 for males and 16 for females.
is complex. Interpol
lists the age of consent of Philippines as 18. According to Article III, Section 5, consensual sex between an adult and a child 12-18 can be prosecuted if the child has sex "due to the coercion or influence" of that adult or if the child is paid (see below). Sex with a child under 12 is considered rape, under Article 266-A. Bill 583, which is currently in the House of Representatives aims to raise the age under which sex is to be considered rape to 16.
Sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 12 is defined as rape:
"a) Through force, threat, or intimidation; "b) When the offended party is deprived of reason or otherwise unconscious;
"c) By means of fraudulent machination or grave abuse of authority; and "d) When the offended party is under twelve (12) years of age or is demented, even though none of the circumstances mentioned above be present.
In regard to children aged 12–18, the law reads (any person under 18 is considered a child):
has no age limit for marriage, but the consent of the parents must be given before marriage.
is 16. See Russian Federation's entry at Ages of consent in Europe
, but there is no restriction on the age of marriage. For instance, in 2008 a Saudi court refused to annul a marriage between an 8 year old girl and a 58 year old man. A prohibition on marriage under the age of 14 was being considered by the Ministry of Justice in late 2008. According to cleric Ahmad Al-Mu’bi, the appropriate minimum age for sex "varies according to environment and traditions."
is 16 for all opposite-sex activity and only female same-sex sexual activity: Section 140: (1) Any person who - (...) (i) has carnal connection with any girl below the age of 16 years except by way of marriage (...) - shall be guilty of an offence.
Under section 377A (outrages on decency) in the Penal Code states that; Any male person who, in public or private, commits, or abets the commission of, or procures or attempts to procure the commission by any male person of, any act of gross indecency with another male person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 2 years. This means that all male same-sex sexual activity (including mutual masturbation, oral and/or anal sex) is still illegal and the punishment is up to two (2) years jail. However, this law is rarely enforced.
a person who engages in a sexual act with a minor who is under 13 years of age (14 to 15 in Korean age) is guilty, and shall be punished by imprisonment. "Korean age" is a social construct, not a legal construct. Laws with ages listed are written according to "international age" with the person being zero years zero months zero days as of midnight on the day of his or her birth.
is 16.
363. A man is said to commit "rape" who enactment has sexual intercourse with, a woman under circumstances falling under any of the following descriptions:
(...)
(e) with or without her consent when she is under sixteen years of age, unless the woman is his wife who is over twelve years of age and is not judicially separated from the man.
365B.
(1) Grave sexual abuse is committed any person who, for sexual gratification, does any act, by the use of his genitals or any other part of the human body or any Instrument on any orifice or part of the body of any other person, being an act which does not amount to rape under section 363, in circumstances falling under any of the following descriptions, that is to say:
(a) without the consent of the other person;
(aa) with or without the consent of the other person when the other person is under sixteen years of age;
(...)
is 15, per Article 491.
Article 491:
1. Every person who has sexual intercourse with a minor under 15 years of age shall be liable to a term of nine years imprisonment at hard labour.
2.The said term shall be not less than 15 years if the child is under 12 years of age.
.
is 16, as specified in article 141 of the Criminal Code. The penalty is specified as deprivation of freedom for 2 to 5 years.
Article 141. Sexual Intercourse And Other Actions of Sexual Character With an Individual Under 16 Years of Age
(1) Sexual intercourse, homosexuality or lesbianism committed by an individual at the age of 18 years with an individual under 16 years of age when there are no elements of the crime stipulated by Article 138 and Article 139 of the present Code, is punishable by deprivation of freedom for a period of 2 to 5 years.
It should be noted, however, that articles 138 and 139 provide harsher penalties for Rape and Forcible sex against minors, including the possible death penalty for rape of a girl under 14.
is 15 (with the below caveat) as specified by article 279 of the Thai Criminal Code. The current legislation applies to all regardless of gender and/or sexual orientation.
However parts of the Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act, which disallow any sexual contact with prostitutes
under the age of 18, are widely interpreted by some local authorities to cover sexual acts classed as "obscenity for personal gratification". Also from the Penal Code Amendment Act of 1997 Section 283bis, having sex with a child under 18 is a compoundable offense even with the consent of that person. The parent or the child may file charges against the other side if he or she later regrets his or her own action. This ostensibly makes the Thai unfettered age of consent 18.
A high profile example of this application of the law was a statutory rape
charge filed against the lead singer of the Thai band Big Ass
for allegedly having had sex with a (then) 16 year old girl. The charge was filed by the girl after the singer refused to take responsibility for her baby. The singer has since been cleared of being the baby's father due to the results of a paternity test and he received 2 years suspended sentence
.
is 18. According to article 104, if the child is 15, 16 or 17 and the age gap is less than 5 years, the acts may be prosecuted only upon a complaint.
ARTICLE 104 – (1) Any person who is in sexual intercourse with a child who completed the age of fifteen without using force, threat and fraud, is sentenced to imprisonment from six months to two years upon filing of a complaint.
(2) If the offender is older than the victim more than five years, the punishment to be imposed is doubled without seeking raise of a complaint.
Article 103 provides for a harsher penalty for sex with persons under 15, or over 15 but lack ability to understand the act.
Turkish Criminal Code (in English)
.
is 16 for heterosexual males (oral sex for homosexual males) and both lesbian and heterosexual females. Only male homosexual anal intercourse is punishable with imprisonment for up to 3 years (called Besoqolbozlik).
Sexual relations with a person under sixteen (16) years of age, Clause 128 of the Criminal Code: (1) A sexual relation or satisfaction of sex requirements in the unnatural form with a person who was obviously less than sixteen (16) years old, shall be punished by corrective labour measures for up to two (2) years or by the arrest up to six (6) months, or with imprisonment for up to three (3) years.
. Section 4 of article 112 of the Penal Code states that "All cases of having sexual intercourse with children under 13 years old are considered rape against children and the offenders shall be sentenced to between twelve and twenty years of imprisonment, life imprisonment or capital punishment." In 2009, this article was amended to remove capital punishment. Article 115 further provides for imprisonment for 1 to 5 years for sexual intercourse with persons aged 13 to 16.
Article 115.- Having sexual intercourse with children
1.Any adults having sexual intercourse with children aged from full 13 to under 16 shall be sentenced to between one and five years of imprisonment.
Furthermore, Article 111 states that "rape against a juvenile aged between full 16 and under 18 years old, the offenders shall be sentenced to between five and ten years of imprisonment."
The US Department of State Human Rights Report reports the age of consent for Vietnam as 18, citing Article 111 as justification.
. Until recently, Yemeni law set the age of consent at 15. But tribal customs often trump the law. In practice, "Yemeni law allows girls of any age to wed, but it forbids sex with them until the indefinite time they’re 'suitable for sexual intercourse.'" In 1999, the minimum marriage age of fifteen for women, rarely enforced, was abolished; the onset of puberty, interpreted by conservatives to be at the age of nine, was set as a requirement for consummation of marriage.
In April 2008, the case of Nujood Ali
, a 10 year-old girl who successfully obtained a divorce, sparked headlines around the world, and prompted calls to raise the legal age for marriage to 18. Later in 2008, the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood proposed to define the minimum age for marriage at 18 years. The law was passed in April 2009, but dropped the following day following maneuvers by opposing parliamentarians. Negotiations to pass the legislation continue.
Age of consent
While the phrase age of consent typically does not appear in legal statutes, when used in relation to sexual activity, the age of consent is the minimum age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to sexual acts. The European Union calls it the legal age for sexual...
for sexual activity vary by jurisdiction across Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. The specific activity engaged in or the gender of its participants can also be affected by the law. Below is a discussion of the various laws dealing with this subject. The highlighted age refers to an age at or above which an individual can engage in unfettered sexual relations with another who is also at or above that age. Other variables, for example homosexual relations or close in age exceptions may exist and are noted when relevant, for example in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
.
The below is a list of all jurisdictions in Asia as listed in List of sovereign states and dependent territories in Asia.
Afghanistan
Sexual activity outside marriageMarriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
is illegal in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. The minimum age of marriage in Afghanistan is 18 for men and 16 for women.
Akrotiri and Dhekelia (United Kingdom)
Armenia
The age of consent in ArmeniaArmenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
is 16.
Article 141. Sexual acts with a person under 16.
Sexual intercourse or other sexual acts with a person obviously under 16, by a person who reached 18 years of age, in the absence of elements of crime envisaged in Articles 138, 139 or 140 of this Code, is punished with correctional labor for the term of up to 2 years, or with imprisonment for the term of up to 2 years.
Azerbaijan
The age of consent in AzerbaijanAzerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
is 16.
Article 152
Sexual intercourse with the person below the age of 16 years-old, as well as the same offences linked with satisfaction of sexual passion in perverted forms shall be
punished by imprisonment up to 3 years.
Bangladesh
The 1860 Indian Penal CodeIndian Penal Code
Indian Penal Code is the main criminal code of India. It is a comprehensive code, intended to cover all substantive aspects of criminal law. It was drafted in 1860 and came into force in colonial India during the British Raj in 1862...
was inherited by Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
and makes the age of consent 14.
Brunei
The age of consent in BruneiBrunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
is 16.
Article 2 of this Act determines the offence as follows:
Any person who has or attempts to have carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of sixteen (16) years except by way of marriage, shall be guilty of an offence: Penalty,
imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than 2 years and not more than 7 years and to whipping not exceeding 24 strokes of the rattan in the case of an adult
or 12 strokes of the rattan in the case of a youthful offender.
Burma
The 1860 Indian Penal Code was also inherited in MyanmarMyanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
, making the age of consent 14 there as well.
Section 375.
A man is said to commit "rape" who, except in the case hereinafter excepted, has sexual intercourse with a woman under circumstances falling under any of the five following descriptions:
First.-- Against her will.
Secondly.-- Without her consent.
Thirdly—With her consent, when her consent has been obtained by putting her in fear of death or hurt.
Fourthly. -- With her consent, when the man knows that he is not her husband, and that her consent is given because she believes that he is another man to whom she is or believes herself to be lawfully married.
Fifthly. -- With or without her consent, when she is under fourteen years.
Cambodia
The age of consent in CambodiaCambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
is 15.
The age of consent in this country is determined by Article 8, of Chapter 4 (Debauchery) of the Law on Suppression of the Kidnapping, Trafficking, and Exploitation of Human Beings, which has been specifically enacted to prohibit sex with children under 15. The law prohibits "debauchery" with a child under 15, and this term (the original Cambodian word is “anacha”) has been interpreted by courts to forbid any form of sexual conduct (both consensual and non-consensual; both 'ordinary' sex and paid sex) with a child under 15. This is the main legal tool used against foreigners engaging in child sex tourism
Child sex tourism
Child sex tourism is tourism for the purpose of engaging in the prostitution of children, that is commercially-facilitated child sexual abuse...
in Cambodia.
Article 8:
Any person who commits acts of debauchery involving a minor below 15 years old, even if there is consent from the concerned minor, or even if the person has bought such minor from someone else or from a pimp, shall be punished by ten (10) to twenty (20) years in prison. In case of repeat offenses, the maximum punishment term shall be applied.
China, People's Republic of
In the People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
the age of consent for sexual activity is 14 years, regardless of gender and/or sexual orientation.
Hong Kong
In Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
the age of consent for sexual activity is 16 for heterosexual couples.
Under s.124 of the Crimes Ordinance (Cap.200), a man who has unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 16 shall be liable to imprisonment for 5 years. Under s.123 of the Crimes Ordinance, a man who has unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 13 shall be liable to imprisonment for life.
Under s.122 of the Crimes Ordinance, a person under the age of 16 cannot in law give any consent which would prevent an act being an assault for the purposes of indecent assault
Indecent assault
Indecent assault is an offence of aggravated assault in many jurisdictions. It is characterised as a sex crime.Indecent assault was an offence in England and Wales under sections 14 and 15 the Sexual Offences Act 1956...
. Hence, a woman who has sexual intercourse with a boy under 16 will be prosecuted under this section.
The previous position regarding homosexual couples is contained in s.118C which provides that a man who commits or suffers to commit buggery with a man under the age of 21 is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for life. However, this section was struck down as unconstitutional in Leung TC William Roy v Secretary for Justice
Leung TC William Roy v Secretary for Justice
Leung TC William Roy v Secretary for Justice is a leading Hong Kong High Court judicial review case on the equal protection on sexual orientation and the law of standing in Hong Kong...
.
Macau
The age of consent in MacauMacau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
is 18. Article 111, 112 e 118 of Macau Civil Code. Under this age, is minor, can not exercise its rights including his rights of sexual consent Adult people using them in sex or giving or facilitating it with other incur in 1 until 5 years jaill.And under 16 until 14 years old are also minors, but not children, sex with them is punished with until 3 years jail and until 4 years jail if inexperienced, like virgin even not physically virgin (art. 169º and 168 Macau Penal Code). And under 14 until birth moment are childrem, with sexual acts, even only obscens talks, too much more punished under art. 166 Macau Penal Code (1-8 years jail, until 3 years jail, until 5 years jail and 3 to 10 years jail). Many legal clauses prohibit sexual acts with minors, and also, of course, with children under 14. Obtaining it by "taking advantage of the minor’s inexperience" is also harder punishment(Article 168, Article 169 and others).
India
IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
's age of consent for sex is 16, except in the state of Manipur
Manipur
Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
, where it is 14. If the partners are married to each other they may legally engage in sexual activity at a lower age (13 in Manipur and 15 elsewhere).
The Kerala High Court, in 2004, succeeded in recommending the state government increase the age of consent to 18.
The Law Commission of India, has recommended the federal government raise the age of consent for marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
to 16 from 15. However, none of those proposals have been considered by any of the (federal / state) legislatures till date.
An old British-era law banning "carnal intercourse against the order of nature" was used to prosecute people for having anal or oral sex, though prosecutions are rare. That law (Section 377, Indian Penal Code Act 1860) was constitutionally challenged at the Delhi High Court for violating the human rights of sexual minorities. But after the Delhi High Court declared some parts of the law unconstitutional on the issue, the age of consent for consensual homosexual sex is 18. See LGBT rights in India
LGBT rights in India
-Overview:Homosexual intercourse was a criminal offence until 2009 under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. This made it an offence for a person to voluntarily have "carnal intercourse against the order of nature." This law was struck down by the 2009 Supreme Court decision Naz Foundation...
.
Indonesia
In IndonesiaIndonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
the national age of consent for heterosexual sexual activity is 19 years for males and 16 years for females. The age of consent for homosexuals is 18. In 2002, the Indonesian Government gave Aceh province the right to introduce Islamic sharia, albeit only to Muslim residents. Sharia gives no restrictions on age at marriage, and defines 9 as the minimum age for consummation, in accordance with the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
and the example set by Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
. Fifty two regions have since enacted sharia law from the Qur'an, which criminalizes homosexuality.
Iran
In IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, sex outside marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
, regardless of age, is illegal. The minimum age of marriage in Iran is 18 for men and 16 for women. Ways around these regulations include temporary marriages (Nikah mut‘ah
Nikah mut‘ah
' , is a fixed-term marriage in Shi'a Islam. The duration of this type of marriage is fixed at its inception and is then automatically dissolved upon completion of its term. The marriage is contractual and is subject to renewal...
).
Iraq
The age of consent in Iraq is 18. "Any person who sexually assaults a boy or girl under the age of 18 without the use of force, menaces or deception is punishable by detention...""Any person who has sexual intercourse with a female relative to the third generation under the age of 15 with her consent and the offence leads to her death, to pregnancy or loss of virginity [is punishable by death]."
Israel
According to the Israeli Penal Code of 1977 the age of consent in Israel is 16 for any form of sexual relations. A special case arises when a person between ages 14–16 had sexual relations with an older partner; in this case the older partner would be exempt of criminal liability if three conditions are met: The age difference between the partners was less than three years, the younger partner gave consent and the act was done out of "regular friendly relations" and without the abuse of power.Japan
The national age of consent in JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
is 13 as specified by the Japanese Penal Code
Criminal Code of Japan
The Penal Code of Japan was passed in 1907 as Law No. 45. It is one of the Six Codes that form the foundation of Japanese law.- External links :* - Japanese Ministry of Justice...
Articles 176 and 177. However, prefectures
Prefectures of Japan
The prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 subnational jurisdictions: one "metropolis" , Tokyo; one "circuit" , Hokkaidō; two urban prefectures , Osaka and Kyoto; and 43 other prefectures . In Japanese, they are commonly referred to as...
can have ordinances
Local ordinance
A local ordinance is a law usually found in a municipal code.-United States:In the United States, these laws are enforced locally in addition to state law and federal law.-Japan:...
that prohibit sexual activities with any minor under 18.
‘Rape’, Art. 177 Penal Code
'A person who, through violence or intimidation, has sexual intercourse with a female person of not less than thirteen (13) years of age commits the crime of rape and shall be punished with imprisonment at forced labour for a limited term of not less than two years. The same shall apply to a person who has sexual intercourse with a female person under thirteen (13) years of age.'
'Indecency through compulsion', Art. 176 Penal Code
'A person who, through violence or intimidation, commits an indecent act upon a male or female person of not less than thirteen (13) years of age shall be punished with imprisonment at forced labour for not less than six months nor more than seven years. The same shall apply to a person who commits an indecent act upon a male or female person under thirteen (13) years of age.'
Kazakhstan
The age of consent in KazakhstanKazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
is 16, according to article 122 of the Criminal Code.
Article 122. Sexual Intercourse and Other Actions of a Sexual Character with a Person Under Sixteen Years of Age
Sexual intercourse, sodomy, or lesbianism or other acts of sexual nature, with a person who did not reach sixteen years of age, the guilty party being aware of that fact, shall be punished by restriction of freedom for a period up to three years, or by detention under arrest for a period up to six months, or deprivation of freedom for a period up to five years.
Kazakhstan Criminal Code
Kuwait
Sexual activity outside marriage is illegal in KuwaitKuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
. The marriageable age is 15 for girls and 17 for boys.
Laos
The age of consent in LaosLaos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
is 15.
Article 129, Penal Code
An individual that has sexual relations with a girl or a boy whose age is under fifteen (15) will be imprisoned from one (1) to five (5) years, and fined from two (2) to five (5) million kips.
Lebanon
The age of consent for sex in LebanonLebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
is 18 for both males and females. If the partners are married to one another they can have sexual relations at 15.
Article 505 of the Penal Code
Approximate translation:
" Whoever commits a sexual act with a minor of less than fifteen (15) years, shall be punished with hard labor of up to fifteen (15) years. This penalty shall be for a minimum of five (5) years, if the victim has not attained the age of twelve (12) years. And whoever commits a sexual act with a minor aged more than fifteen (15) years but less than eighteen (18) years, shall be punished by imprisonment for a period varying between 2 months and 2 years ".
Sodomy is punishable with imprisonment not exceeding one year.
In Lebanon homosexuality is illegal.
Malaysia
The age of consent for sex in Malaysia is 16 for both sexes.Section 375
Rape. A man is said to commit "rape" who, except in the case hereinafter excepted, has sexual intercourse with a woman under circumstances falling under any of the following descriptions: (...) Sixthly - With or without her consent, when she is under sixteen years of age.
Maldives
Sexual activity outside marriageMarriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
is illegal in Maldives
Maldives
The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...
. The legal age of marriage is 18 for both males and females.
Mongolia
The age of consent in MongoliaMongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
is 16, regardless of gender and/or sexual orientation.
Article 110.
Sexual intercourse with a person below the age of 16 years shall be punished to imprisonment for a term not to exceeding 3 years or to correctional work not
exceeding 1 years and 6 months.
North Korea
The age of consent in North KoreaNorth Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
is 15. Article 153 of the criminal law states that a man who has sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 15 shall be "punished gravely."
Oman
Sexual activity outside marriageMarriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
is illegal in Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
. The legal age for marriage is 18 for both boys and girls.
Pakistan
Sexual activity outside marriageMarriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
is illegal in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. The legal age of marriage is 18 for males and 16 for females.
Philippines
The age of consent in the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
is complex. Interpol
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
lists the age of consent of Philippines as 18. According to Article III, Section 5, consensual sex between an adult and a child 12-18 can be prosecuted if the child has sex "due to the coercion or influence" of that adult or if the child is paid (see below). Sex with a child under 12 is considered rape, under Article 266-A. Bill 583, which is currently in the House of Representatives aims to raise the age under which sex is to be considered rape to 16.
Sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 12 is defined as rape:
- Chapter Three
- Rape
- "Article 266-A. Rape: When And How Committed. - Rape is committed: "1) By a man who shall have carnal knowledge of a woman under any of the following circumstances:
"a) Through force, threat, or intimidation; "b) When the offended party is deprived of reason or otherwise unconscious;
"c) By means of fraudulent machination or grave abuse of authority; and "d) When the offended party is under twelve (12) years of age or is demented, even though none of the circumstances mentioned above be present.
In regard to children aged 12–18, the law reads (any person under 18 is considered a child):
- Article III, Section 5. Child Prostitution
- Children, whether male or female, who for money, profit, or any other consideration
Qatar
Any kind of sexual activity outside marriage is illegal. Like Saudi Arabia, QatarQatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
has no age limit for marriage, but the consent of the parents must be given before marriage.
Russian Federation
The age of consent in RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
is 16. See Russian Federation's entry at Ages of consent in Europe
Saudi Arabia
Any kind of sexual activity outside marriage is illegal in Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, but there is no restriction on the age of marriage. For instance, in 2008 a Saudi court refused to annul a marriage between an 8 year old girl and a 58 year old man. A prohibition on marriage under the age of 14 was being considered by the Ministry of Justice in late 2008. According to cleric Ahmad Al-Mu’bi, the appropriate minimum age for sex "varies according to environment and traditions."
Singapore
The age of consent in SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
is 16 for all opposite-sex activity and only female same-sex sexual activity: Section 140: (1) Any person who - (...) (i) has carnal connection with any girl below the age of 16 years except by way of marriage (...) - shall be guilty of an offence.
Under section 377A (outrages on decency) in the Penal Code states that; Any male person who, in public or private, commits, or abets the commission of, or procures or attempts to procure the commission by any male person of, any act of gross indecency with another male person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 2 years. This means that all male same-sex sexual activity (including mutual masturbation, oral and/or anal sex) is still illegal and the punishment is up to two (2) years jail. However, this law is rarely enforced.
South Korea
According to section 305 of the Criminal Law of South KoreaSouth Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
a person who engages in a sexual act with a minor who is under 13 years of age (14 to 15 in Korean age) is guilty, and shall be punished by imprisonment. "Korean age" is a social construct, not a legal construct. Laws with ages listed are written according to "international age" with the person being zero years zero months zero days as of midnight on the day of his or her birth.
Sri Lanka
The age of consent in Sri LankaSri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
is 16.
363. A man is said to commit "rape" who enactment has sexual intercourse with, a woman under circumstances falling under any of the following descriptions:
(...)
(e) with or without her consent when she is under sixteen years of age, unless the woman is his wife who is over twelve years of age and is not judicially separated from the man.
365B.
(1) Grave sexual abuse is committed any person who, for sexual gratification, does any act, by the use of his genitals or any other part of the human body or any Instrument on any orifice or part of the body of any other person, being an act which does not amount to rape under section 363, in circumstances falling under any of the following descriptions, that is to say:
(a) without the consent of the other person;
(aa) with or without the consent of the other person when the other person is under sixteen years of age;
(...)
Syria
The age of consent in SyriaSyria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
is 15, per Article 491.
Article 491:
1. Every person who has sexual intercourse with a minor under 15 years of age shall be liable to a term of nine years imprisonment at hard labour.
2.The said term shall be not less than 15 years if the child is under 12 years of age.
Taiwan
The age of consent in Taiwan is 16 regardless of sex. The sentence is reduced or exempted if the offender is under 19. If the offender is under 18, it's an offense indictable only upon a complaintAntragsdelikt
In the criminal law of some countries, an Antragsdelikt is a category of offence which cannot be prosecuted without a complaint by the victim...
.
Tajikistan
The age of consent in TajikistanTajikistan
Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
is 16, as specified in article 141 of the Criminal Code. The penalty is specified as deprivation of freedom for 2 to 5 years.
Article 141. Sexual Intercourse And Other Actions of Sexual Character With an Individual Under 16 Years of Age
(1) Sexual intercourse, homosexuality or lesbianism committed by an individual at the age of 18 years with an individual under 16 years of age when there are no elements of the crime stipulated by Article 138 and Article 139 of the present Code, is punishable by deprivation of freedom for a period of 2 to 5 years.
It should be noted, however, that articles 138 and 139 provide harsher penalties for Rape and Forcible sex against minors, including the possible death penalty for rape of a girl under 14.
Thailand
The age of consent in ThailandThailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
is 15 (with the below caveat) as specified by article 279 of the Thai Criminal Code. The current legislation applies to all regardless of gender and/or sexual orientation.
However parts of the Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act, which disallow any sexual contact with prostitutes
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
under the age of 18, are widely interpreted by some local authorities to cover sexual acts classed as "obscenity for personal gratification". Also from the Penal Code Amendment Act of 1997 Section 283bis, having sex with a child under 18 is a compoundable offense even with the consent of that person. The parent or the child may file charges against the other side if he or she later regrets his or her own action. This ostensibly makes the Thai unfettered age of consent 18.
A high profile example of this application of the law was a statutory rape
Statutory rape
The phrase statutory rape is a term used in some legal jurisdictions to describe sexual activities where one participant is below the age required to legally consent to the behavior...
charge filed against the lead singer of the Thai band Big Ass
Big Ass
Big Ass is a Thai rock band. It was originally a pop rock band but the music moved toward hardcore punk in some of the band's recent works. Big Ass latest release is Love, their sixth album.-History:...
for allegedly having had sex with a (then) 16 year old girl. The charge was filed by the girl after the singer refused to take responsibility for her baby. The singer has since been cleared of being the baby's father due to the results of a paternity test and he received 2 years suspended sentence
Suspended sentence
A suspended sentence is a legal term for a judge's delaying of a defendant's serving of a sentence after they have been found guilty, in order to allow the defendant to perform a period of probation...
.
Turkey
The age of consent in TurkeyTurkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
is 18. According to article 104, if the child is 15, 16 or 17 and the age gap is less than 5 years, the acts may be prosecuted only upon a complaint.
ARTICLE 104 – (1) Any person who is in sexual intercourse with a child who completed the age of fifteen without using force, threat and fraud, is sentenced to imprisonment from six months to two years upon filing of a complaint.
(2) If the offender is older than the victim more than five years, the punishment to be imposed is doubled without seeking raise of a complaint.
Article 103 provides for a harsher penalty for sex with persons under 15, or over 15 but lack ability to understand the act.
Turkish Criminal Code (in English)
History
The former Turkish Penal Code of 1927 punished having sex with a minor as statutory rapeStatutory rape
The phrase statutory rape is a term used in some legal jurisdictions to describe sexual activities where one participant is below the age required to legally consent to the behavior...
.
Uzbekistan
The age of consent in UzbekistanUzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
is 16 for heterosexual males (oral sex for homosexual males) and both lesbian and heterosexual females. Only male homosexual anal intercourse is punishable with imprisonment for up to 3 years (called Besoqolbozlik).
Sexual relations with a person under sixteen (16) years of age, Clause 128 of the Criminal Code: (1) A sexual relation or satisfaction of sex requirements in the unnatural form with a person who was obviously less than sixteen (16) years old, shall be punished by corrective labour measures for up to two (2) years or by the arrest up to six (6) months, or with imprisonment for up to three (3) years.
Vietnam
There is discrepancy in the reported age of consent in VietnamVietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. Section 4 of article 112 of the Penal Code states that "All cases of having sexual intercourse with children under 13 years old are considered rape against children and the offenders shall be sentenced to between twelve and twenty years of imprisonment, life imprisonment or capital punishment." In 2009, this article was amended to remove capital punishment. Article 115 further provides for imprisonment for 1 to 5 years for sexual intercourse with persons aged 13 to 16.
Article 115.- Having sexual intercourse with children
1.Any adults having sexual intercourse with children aged from full 13 to under 16 shall be sentenced to between one and five years of imprisonment.
Furthermore, Article 111 states that "rape against a juvenile aged between full 16 and under 18 years old, the offenders shall be sentenced to between five and ten years of imprisonment."
The US Department of State Human Rights Report reports the age of consent for Vietnam as 18, citing Article 111 as justification.
Yemen
Any kind of sexual activity outside marriage is illegal in YemenYemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
. Until recently, Yemeni law set the age of consent at 15. But tribal customs often trump the law. In practice, "Yemeni law allows girls of any age to wed, but it forbids sex with them until the indefinite time they’re 'suitable for sexual intercourse.'" In 1999, the minimum marriage age of fifteen for women, rarely enforced, was abolished; the onset of puberty, interpreted by conservatives to be at the age of nine, was set as a requirement for consummation of marriage.
In April 2008, the case of Nujood Ali
Nujood Ali
Nujood Ali is a figure of Yemen's fight against forced marriage. At the age of ten, she obtained a divorce, breaking with the tribal tradition. In November 2008, U.S. women's magazine Glamour designated Nujood Ali and her lawyer Shada Nasser as Women of the Year...
, a 10 year-old girl who successfully obtained a divorce, sparked headlines around the world, and prompted calls to raise the legal age for marriage to 18. Later in 2008, the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood proposed to define the minimum age for marriage at 18 years. The law was passed in April 2009, but dropped the following day following maneuvers by opposing parliamentarians. Negotiations to pass the legislation continue.
See also
- Age of consentAge of consentWhile the phrase age of consent typically does not appear in legal statutes, when used in relation to sexual activity, the age of consent is the minimum age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to sexual acts. The European Union calls it the legal age for sexual...
- Age of consent reformAge of consent reformAge of consent reform refers to efforts to change age of consent laws, whether to raise or lower or abolish the age of consent, or to change the ways in which the laws are applied. Another issue has been homosexual vs...
- Ages of consent in AfricaAges of consent in AfricaThe ages of consent for sexual activity vary by jurisdiction across Africa. The specific activity engaged in or the gender of its participants can also be affected by the law. Below is a discussion of the various laws dealing with this subject...
- Ages of consent in Oceania
- Ages of consent in EuropeAges of consent in EuropeThe ages of consent for sexual activity vary by jurisdiction across Europe. Spain has the lowest age of consent, while Malta and Turkey are at the highest end . The laws can also stipulate the specific activities that are permitted and/or differentially specify the age at which a given sex can...
- Ages of consent in North AmericaAges of consent in North AmericaThe ages of consent in North America for sexual activity vary by jurisdiction.The age of consent in Canada is 16 and all US states set their limits between 16 and 18.The ages of consent in the countries of Central America range from 15 to 18....
- Ages of consent in South AmericaAges of consent in South AmericaAges of consent in Latin America may refer to:*Ages of consent in Mexico *Ages of consent in North America*Ages of consent in South America...