2026
“Sweden Bans Cousin Marriages Under New Law,” Khaama Press (July 2, 2026).
A new law has just taken effect in Sweden, prohibiting marriage between first cousins and ceasing recognition of such marriages conducted abroad. Supporters and the government have stated that this law aims to prevent forced marriages, particularly those in which a person is pressured to marry a family member abroad and then brought back to Sweden where the marriage would previously have been recognized as legally valid. Read more.
“I Escaped a Forced Marriage. I Know Why California Must Update Its Law Now,” Tahirih Justice Center (June 30, 2026).
Sadia Khan survived and escaped a forced marriage, but was unable to pursue legal protection from her abuser in the United States. Now an advocate in her own right, Sadia is working to support AB 2534 in California to create the first forced marriage protection order in the United States. Read more.
“California Has Another Chance to Ban Child Marriage,” The Collegian (June 29, 2026).
Thanks to an unconventional “gut and amend” process, a bill has been altered to ban child marriage in California if passed. AB 1267 originally addressed administrative burden for substance abuse programs, but was amended to instead address child marriage in the state – one of just three that still allows children of any age to marry. If passed, it would set California’s minimum marriage age at 18 without exceptions. Read more.
“Four Men Held over Child Marriage in Sierra Leone Appear in Landmark Court Case,” BBC (June 26, 2026).
Sierra Leone banned and criminalized child marriage two years ago; now for the first time people accused of committing the crime have been brought to trial. Four men are accused of forcing a 17-year-old girl into marriage just outside the capital of Freetown, including the girl’s father. If convicted they face jail time of at least 15 years, a fine of around $4,000, or both. Read more.
“Time is Running Out to Ban Child Marriage in Ohio,” Spectrum News 1 (June 25, 2026).
Ohio lawmakers left the Statehouse for summer break without voting on a bipartisan bill that would ban child marriage in Ohio. Political Anchor Curtis Jackson sits down with one of the bill’s sponsors, Sen. Bill DeMora, to discuss what he hopes will happen when the legislature returns in the fall. Watch here.
“Child Marriage Bill Clears Committee, Stalls in Senate” State Affairs (June 10 2026).
A bipartisan Ohio bill that would end child marriage by requiring all individuals to be at least 18 years old to marry cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously but was not brought to the Senate floor for a vote before lawmakers left for summer recess. Supporters note that more than 5,000 Ohio minors have married since 2000 and argue that the current law, which allows some 17-year-olds to marry with court approval, leaves young people vulnerable to coercion and abuse. Although Senate leaders have indicated the measure could still receive a vote later in the legislative session, advocates expressed frustration that a bill with no public opposition and broad bipartisan support remains stalled. Read more.
“Missouri Bill Would Let Married Minors Divorce on Their Own,” FOX 2 Now (June 8, 2026).
Missouri lawmakers are considering legislation that would allow individuals who were married as minors to file for divorce, legal separation, or annulment without needing parental or guardian consent. The bill is intended to remove additional legal barriers for people who were married before the state’s recent changes to child marriage laws, which raised the minimum marriage age to 18 without exceptions. Supporters of the measure argue it ensures that minors who were previously permitted to marry are not left trapped in those marriages due to procedural restrictions when seeking to end them. Read more.
“Man Charged After Allegedly Forcing Woman into Marriage, Performing Satanic Ritual,” WMUR (June 8, 2026).
A Maine man, Daniel Ouellet, faces multiple charges after New Hampshire police alleged he held a woman against her will, forced her into a marriage, and injured her during what investigators described as a satanic ritual. He has denied the allegations in court. Read more.
“Child Marriage with Parental Consent Is Still Legal in Wisconsin,” Wisconsin Public Radio (June 4, 2026).
Wisconsin continues to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to marry with parental consent, including marriages between minors and adults. Democratic lawmakers have repeatedly introduced legislation to prohibit all marriages involving individuals under 18, but legislative leaders have declined to advance the proposals, arguing that parents, not the government, should decide what is best for their children. Advocates, researchers, and lawmakers supporting reform contend that child marriage can expose minors to coercion, abuse, educational disruption, and legal vulnerabilities, noting that most child marriages in Wisconsin involve underage girls marrying adult men. Between 2015 and 2024, nearly 300 minors were married in the state. Read more.
“Ohio Leaders Differ on Whether Child Marriage Should Be a Debate,” Ohio Capital Journal (June 5, 2026).
Ohio’s top legislative leaders have expressed differing views on Senate Bill 341, a bipartisan proposal that would prohibit all marriages involving individuals under the age of 18. While some lawmakers support advancing the measure without controversy, others argue that the issue warrants further discussion despite broad advocacy support and the absence of organized opposition. Child protection advocates and survivors of child marriage have criticized the delay, contending that any exception allowing minors to marry increases the risk of coercion, abuse, and exploitation. Read more.
“Overseas Child Marriage Leads to Nottingham Conviction,” The Crown Prosecution Service (May 15, 2026).
A husband and wife from Nottingham received suspended prison sentences after taking two 17-year-old boys to Pakistan to arrange marriages, with one boy participating in a Nikah ceremony. The case marks another application of the UK’s 2023 child marriage laws, which prohibit arranging marriages for anyone under 18, including overseas. Read more.
“Proposed Child Marriage Ban Adds Exemption for Age Gaps of Up to Ten Years,” Westword (May 8, 2026).
Colorado lawmakers amended a proposed child marriage ban to continue allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to marry with judicial approval if their spouse is no more than ten years older. The revised Senate Bill 26-048 marked a rollback from the original proposal, which sought to prohibit all marriages involving minors under 18. Advocates against child marriage criticized the compromise, arguing it would leave most vulnerable minors unprotected, while supporters described it as a politically necessary step forward. Since Colorado tightened its marriage laws in 2019, minors have been involved in at least 139 marriage license applications statewide. Read more.
“Forced Marriage Remains Hidden in Australia as Calls for Action Grow,” Walk Free (May 7, 2026).
Advocacy organizations, survivor leaders, and policymakers are calling for stronger action to address forced marriage in Australia, where cases often remain hidden despite growing reports to authorities. During Women Deliver 2026, advocates outlined six key actions to strengthen Australia’s response, including legal reform, survivor-informed policy development, school education on bodily autonomy, and better training for frontline workers. Supporters say these reforms are necessary to improve protections for vulnerable individuals and prevent forced marriage and related forms of exploitation. Read more.
“Bill to Ban Child Marriage in Oklahoma Passes House,” News On 6 (May 6, 2026).
Oklahoma lawmakers advanced legislation that would ban child marriage by setting 18 as the minimum legal age for marriage with no exceptions. Senate Bill 504 passed the Oklahoma House after previously clearing the Senate with bipartisan support and now awaits the governor’s signature. Advocates and survivors of child marriage praised the measure as an important step toward protecting minors from coercion, abuse, and long-term harm associated with underage marriage. Read more.
“Senate Unanimously Approves Hamilton Bill to Prohibit Underage Marriage,” Oklahoma Senate (March 26, 2026).
The Oklahoma State Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 504 to prohibit marriage before the age of 18. Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, filed SB 504 to continue the state’s efforts to protect children from exploitation. Read more.
“Bill Banning Underage Marriage in Kentucky Advances to House vote,” WDRB (March 26, 2026).
Senate Bill 156 aims to raise the legal marriage age in Kentucky to 18, eliminating all exceptions that has allowed some minors to get married with parental consent and court approval. The bill awaits a house vote and testimony has been submitted by several survivors. Read more.
“Tonga Raises Legal Marriage Age to 18,” RNZ (March 17, 2026).
Effective immediately, Tonga’s government has changed the legal age of marriage to 18. This change follows the actions of the Women and Children Crisis Centre in Tonga, a group that submitted a formal written submission on the Civil Registration and Digital Identification Bill in support of raising the legal age to 18. Read more.
“Colorado Moves to End Child Marriage…But Some Senators Say ‘I Don’t,’” Westword (February 19, 2026).
Brittany was seventeen years old when she was forced to marry her abuser. The man had groomed and molested Brittany since she was just thirteen, and he was twenty. He coerced her to leave Colorado, and eventually her father forced her to marry her abuser. Now she is supporting a new bill, SB 26-048, that would ban child marriage by setting a minimum marriage of 18 in Colorado. Read more.
“Oklahoma Senate Panel Approves Ban on Underage Marriage,” Bartlesville Radio (February 11, 2026).
Oklahoma’s Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved Senate Bill 504 to prohibit marriage for anyone under 18 by removing current legal provisions that allow 16‑ and 17‑year‑olds to marry with parental consent, effectively raising the state’s minimum marriage age to 18 and closing loopholes that legislators say leave vulnerable minors at risk. Read more.
“Lawmakers Team Up on Bill Banning Marriage for Anyone Under 18 in Ohio,” WOSU Public Media (February 11, 2026).
Ohio lawmakers introduced Senate Bill 341, a bipartisan proposal to raise the legal marriage age to 18 with no exceptions by repealing provisions that currently allow 17‑year‑olds to marry with a court order when the age difference with their spouse is limited. Sponsors argue this change would close legal paths to underage marriage and protect minors from risks such as abuse, financial dependence, and limited legal rights that married children face. Read more.
“Kentucky Bill Would Ban Marriage Under Age 18,” Kentucky Today (February 6, 2026).
Senate Bill 156 would amend state law to prohibit county clerks from issuing marriage licenses to people under age 18. The bill repeals the current exceptions that allow 17‑year‑olds be married with court permission. Read more.
“‘No Minimum Age:’ Former Child Brides Demand California Set 18 as the Minimum Age for Marriage,” CBS8 San Diego (January 29, 2026).
Survivors and advocates in California are urging state lawmakers to establish 18 as the absolute minimum age for marriage, eliminating existing exceptions that allow minors to marry with parental consent and judicial approval. California remains one of only a few states without a statutory minimum age, prompting renewed calls for reform. Lawmakers and survivors gathered in Sacramento to push for legislative change, highlighting concerns about coercion, limited legal protections, and long-term consequences for minors forced into marriage. Read more.
“Australian Federal Police Calls on Schools to Help Monitor Signs of Forced Marriage Among Young People,” SBS (January 29, 2026).
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is urging schools across Australia to be vigilant for signs that students may be coerced or pressured into forced marriage as they return for the new school year, noting that reports of forced marriage have increased in the 2024–25 financial year compared with the previous year. The AFP says educators can play a key role in identifying subtle behavioral changes that may indicate risk and helping protect children from forced marriage, which is illegal but historically under‑reported. Listen here.
“Ohio Bill Seeks to Repeal State Law that Allows 17-Year-Olds to Marry,” NBC4i (January 28 2026).
Ohio lawmakers introduced Senate Bill 341 to repeal the state law that currently allows 17-year-olds to marry under specific conditions such as juvenile court approval and a waiting period. The bill would raise the minimum marriage age to 18 with no exceptions. Supporters say the change would strengthen protections for minors and align Ohio with states that have enacted full bans on child marriage. Read more.
“I Ran Away from my Cousin because I Knew I Could Never Marry Him,” LBC (January 23, 2026).
A 35-year-old survivor speaks about fleeing a planned forced marriage to her cousin, describing how expectations around marriage and strict gender norms in her family and community pressured her from childhood. She explains that forced marriage, where one or both people do not or cannot consent, is illegal in the UK and recognized as a form of domestic abuse. The woman details escalating control by her family as she reached adulthood and her decision to leave home to avoid the arranged marriage, later urging others in similar situations to seek support. Read more.
“Kansas Lawmakers Eye Stricter Minimum Marriage Age,” KSN (January 21 2026).
Kansas legislators are considering a bill that would set the minimum legal age for marriage at 18 with no exceptions, removing current provisions that allow minors ages 15 to 17 to marry with parental or judicial consent. The proposal reflects broader efforts to strengthen protections for minors and align Kansas with states that have enacted full bans on child marriage. Read more.
“Lackawanna Father Going to Prison for 17 Years for His Role in Kidnapping Conspiracy Attempting to Force his Daughter to Marry in Yemen,” U.S. Department of Justice Western District of New York (January 15, 2026).
A federal judge sentenced a 53-year-old New York man to 17 years in prison after a jury convicted him of conspiracy to kidnap a person in a foreign country, kidnapping conspiracy, and threatening to retaliate against a victim. The man and his son transported his daughter from Western New York through Mexico, Egypt, and ultimately to Sanaa, Yemen, where they confined her against her will for approximately 16 months to coerce her into an forced marriage. Read more.
“In SC, 16-Year-Olds Can Get Married, a Bill Would Allow Only Adults to Wed,” SC Daily Gazette (January 9, 2026).
South Carolina currently allows 16‑ and 17‑year‑olds to marry with parental consent, but a bill in the state Senate would raise the minimum marriage age to 18 to ensure only adults can wed. Supporters argue the change would protect minors from lifelong harms associated with child marriage and align South Carolina with other states that have already ended underage marriage. The article focuses on efforts to reform marriage laws in South Carolina, USA. Read more.
“2026 Could See End of Child Marriage in Another State,” Newsweek (January 7, 2026).
A group of Democratic lawmakers in Wisconsin has introduced Senate Bill 634 and Assembly Bill 656 to ban child marriage in the state by requiring that only people aged 18 or older may marry, with no exceptions under state law. The legislation aims to close loopholes that currently allow 16- and 17-year-olds to marry with parental consent and to harmonize Wisconsin with other states that have ended child marriage to protect minors from exploitation and abuse. Read more.
