Kathmandu : Bimala Subedi, the Chairperson of the Law, Justice, and Human Rights Committee of Nepal’s Federal Parliament, has revealed that there has been a demand to lower the legal marriage age in the country.

This call was made following the committee’s recent visits to prisons and juvenile correction homes across Nepal.

Speaking at the National Conference of Child Rights Defenders, Subedi explained that during their visits to 10 prisons and 3 juvenile reform homes, the committee found that many children were imprisoned due to issues related to child marriage.

This discovery has sparked a discussion about possibly lowering the minimum marriage age. Subedi emphasized that solving child marriage requires a broad approach, addressing the issue at every level of society.

The three-day conference, which started in Kathmandu on Saturday, aims to increase children’s involvement in efforts to prevent and reduce child marriage. The event also seeks to create a regional plan for tackling child marriage in South Asia.

The conference is being organized by six child rights organizations, including the National Human Rights Commission, the National Child Rights Council, NACG Nepal, Consortium Nepal, Girl Not Bride (GNB), and the South Asian Initiative to End Violence Against Children (SAIVAG).

The event, which concludes on Monday, has gathered various experts and child rights defenders to discuss the issue and propose solutions to eliminate child marriage in the region.