Nepal parliament urged to raise legal marriage age of women from 18 to 20 years

KATHMANDU - The Nepalese parliament is reportedly considering a bill to raise the legal age of marriage from 18 to 20, which officials say would help improve maternal health.

According to the BBC, the mortality rate in Nepal has been reduced to half over the past 10 years but the number of women dying during childbirth is still very high.

Officials said that the new legislation would also help reduce teenage pregnancies and also hoped it would also encourage more women to continue with their education and pursue a career, which in turn will lead to better family planning.

Women in the country are currently allowed to marry at the age of 18, and start a family with the consent of their parents.

However, in remote and less developed areas, women often marry younger than this age and become pregnant before they are fully sexually mature, leading to a higher risk of complications and death during childbirth.

Dr KC Naresh, director of the family health division, department of health said that the women should be encouraged not to have children till they are 20-years-old.

“If they have them younger, they may not be sexually mature and this can lead to complications,” he added.

The officials also hoped that the Nepalese parliament will pass the bill soon, but raised doubt over its immediate implementation because of the current political crisis. (ANI)