Tonga Raises Legal Marriage Age To 18
by Soana Aholelei · SCOOPThe Government of Tonga has changed the legal age of marriage to 18, effective immediately.
Previously, a person 15-17 years old could marry with parental consent.
In August 2025, the Women and Children Crisis Centre in Tonga submitted a formal written submission on the Civil Registration and Digital Identification Bill, pushing for the change in line with international human rights standards.
The centre's director, 'Ofa Guttenbeil-Likiliki, said it's an important change.
"Previously you could get married in Tonga with one parental consent, either the father or the mother or the caregiver, between the ages of 15 to 17, and it was quite
common.
"We would go through anywhere between 150 to 200 marriages within that age bracket a year."
She said aligning with the international standards was a huge accomplishment.
"Such a huge step forward in terms of protecting children from early marriage, supporting girls' education, reducing health risks and also strengthening consent and decision making."
Tonga's Ministry of Justice said on Thursday the Civil Registration & Digital Identification Act 2025 has come into force.
It replaced the Births, Deaths & Marriages Registration Act.
Guttenbeil-Likiliki is hopeful for more positive change in the future, with help from the government.
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"When our leaders listen and our decision-makers read the case studies, read the submissions, and they actually make the appropriate amendments to our law, it gives us hope," she said.
"It gives us hope that there's more work to be done and that if we're on this trajectory, then there is a better future for everyone."
Save the Children country lead in Tonga, Lilieta Takau, said she hopes Tonga can influence more Pacific countries.
"Under the Convention of the Rights of the Child of course, we are now more compliant with that, the commitment to 18 years [for marriage age]," she said.
"I think the trend is for Pacific Islands now moving towards that.
"It's one that we hope that Solomon Islands and Vanuatu can take similar action to what Tonga is doing, to ensure that all children in the Pacific can grow up in a safe and educated and empowered environment."
Jonathan Veitch, UNICEF Pacific's representative, told the conference the levels of violence, abuse, and neglect of Pacific children are among the highest in the world.
He called for increased regional collaboration and resource-sharing to strengthen child protection systems.
"The impact of child protection on a country's economic and social development is significant."