Singapore

0% of girls marry before the age of 18 in Singapore. However, this data does not include informal unions such as religious ceremonies without formal registration of marriage, or cohabitation, so the actual prevalence rate may be higher.

Child marriage is driven by gender inequality and the belief that women and girls are somehow inferior to men and boys.

There is limited information on child marriage in Singapore.

Singapore has committed to ending child, early and forced marriage by 2030 in line with target 5.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The government submitted a Voluntary National Review at the 2018 and 2023 High Level Political Forums but there was no mention of child marriage.

Singapore co-sponsored the 2014 UN General Assembly resolution on child, early and forced marriage, and the 2013 Human Rights Council resolution on child, early and forced marriage. In 2014, Singapore signed a joint statement at the Human Rights Council calling for a resolution on child marriage.

Singapore acceded to the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1995, which the Committee on the Rights of the Child has interpreted to recommend the establishment of a minimum age of marriage of 18, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1995, which obligates states to ensure free and full consent to marriage. Singapore has made a reservation to certain provisions of Articles 2 and 16 of CEDAW, reserving the right not to apply those provisions, where compliance with these provisions would be contrary to the religious or personal laws of minorities.

During its 2021 Universal Periodic Review, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child welcomed the amendment to the Administration of Muslim Law Act which raised the minimum legal age of marriage to 18 years. However, the Committee was concerned that under subsection 96(5), under exceptional circumstances, girls that have attained puberty were allowed to get married.

In 2017, the CEDAW Committee recommended that Singapore abolish exceptions to the marriage of girls under 18 with regard to civil and Muslim marriages.

In 2019, the UN Committee of the Rights of the Child called Singapore to urgently remove all exceptions that allow marriage under the age of 18 years and bring legislation in line with the Convention in regards to the minimum age of marriage.

Singapore has committed to the ASEAN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women and Violence against Children (2013), which acknowledges the importance of strengthening ASEAN efforts to protect children from all forms of violence, including early marriage.

In Singapore, the legal age of marriage is 18, with exceptions.

Under the Women’s Charter, the minimum age of marriage is 18 years old. However, the Ministry of Social and Family Development can grant a special marriage licence with the necessary parental consent so that a minor can marry.

In addition, under the Muslim Law Act the minimum age of marriage is 18. However, a kadi (official of religious standing) may solemnise the marriage of a girl under the age of 18 who has attained puberty.

Under the Muslim Law Act, a woman cannot marry without a wali (male next of kin) present, and a Muslim man may also marry up to four women without the consent of his existing wives.