Experts hope Costa Rica child marriage ban curbs teen pregnancy
Costa Rica has raised the minimum age for marriage to 18 under a law that experts hope will prevent teen pregnancy and girls dropping out of school, but enforcement could be a challenge among indigenous communities where child marriage is prevalent. Under the new law, which came into effect this month, children age 15 and above are no longer allowed to get married with their parent’s permission. The law also sets out a maximum penalty of three years imprisonment for adults who have sex with children under 15 if the age difference between a child and adult is five years or more. Read more here: