Portugal increased the minimum age to marry for the age of 18 last March, but before that, between 2020 and 2023, there was an 187% increase in unions between children, some of which with adults aged 30 and older, including men and women.
In late February, the Assembly of the Republic is the minimum age for a young power to marry, a law that was promulgated by the President of the Republic on March 24.
But before the law comes into force this year 2025there was 65 Weddings involving children under 16. In 2024this number has reached 227.
Second data from the Institute of Registration and Notaries (IRN), the number of weddings in which one of the people is minor, aged 16 and 18 years, has increased consecutively in the last five years.
Between 2020 and 2024 there was a 187% increase in the number of, after 2020 have registered 79 marriagea lower value eventually explained with the closure of most public services with face -to -face service, following pandemic of covid-19.
Between 2020 and 2023, 470 marriages with minors were registered. The number was always rising from 130 by 2021 to 158 by 2022, 178 by 2023 and 227 in 2024.
Beja with more weddings between minors
Most marriages, in which both were 16 years old, was in the Beja Districtfollowed Aveiro, Braga, Faro and Porto.
The rest took place in the districts of Castelo Branco, Lisbon, Portalegre, Santarém and Setúbaleach with a marriage record.
Most of the teenagers who married were from Female Gender (65%)registering 317 girls who married 16another 127 who married when they were 17, and 15 more who were 18 years old.
Older adult is 35 years old, and there are also two 30 -year -olds
In the last two years, six adults with 30 years or older who married 16 or 17 years old. There are also 25 marriages in which one of the people is 25 or more.
O older adult marrying minors was 35 years oldhe is a man of Portuguese nationality, and married a 17 -year -old girl.
There is also a record of a 32 -year -old man who married a 17 -year -old, and two 31 -year -old men, both married to 17 -year -olds.
But there is also a record of Two women with 30 years who married young people aged 16 and 17, respectively.
Most adults who married minors are Portuguese
Among the adults who married minors, the Most is Portuguese nationalitybut there is also a record of a Moroccan citizen, a Algerian and two Brazilians.
Since April 2, they are prohibited marriages under 18 and early or forced began to integrate the whole danger situations that legitimize the intervention to promote the rights and protection of the child and the youth.
