The draft of Kyrgyzstan’s new Family Code sets the minimum legal age for marriage at 18. The head of the Department of Family Support and Child Protection of the Ministry of Labor, Social Security and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic, Bakyt Todogeldiev, said live on Birinchi Radio.
According to him, doctors and international experts say that the human body matures only at the age of 18.
«Therefore, marriage should be allowed only from this age, not earlier. If a girl’s body hasn’t matured, there’s a risk that she may give birth to children with health issues in the future. We discussed this issue in Osh, where people often ask why marriages at 16–17 are not permitted. Some families marry off their daughters at this age, and sometimes even minors themselves say they’re ready to marry,» Bakyt Todogeldiev said.
He emphasized that Kyrgyzstan has ratified various international conventions, protocols, and memorandums, and must comply with these standards.
Under the current Family Code of Kyrgyzstan, the legal age for marriage is 18, but it can be lowered by one year under certain conditions.
«We have removed this clause—it should not exist. The working group also included a provision requiring that all marriages be officially registered with the civil registry office. No marriage should be recognized without state registration. Before conducting religious rites, moldo and other religious leaders will be required to request official proof of registration of marriage,» Bakyt Todogeldiev added.
According to data from the National Statistical Committee, the average age of women entering marriage in Kyrgyzstan over the past five years is 24.
The Ombudsman’s Institute conducted a pilot monitoring in Suzak district of Jalal-Abad region to identify early marriages. According to the Suzak district police, 23 cases of marriage with minors were registered in the first nine months of 2024, of which 21 cases were closed, and investigations are ongoing on two. During the same period, 21 underage girls registered pregnancies and gave birth in healthcare facilities.
It should be noted that an early marriage is any marriage in which at least one of the parties is under 18 years old. Such a marriage in most cases leads to economic dependence of the woman, domestic violence against her and even maternal mortality.
