Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan has proposed allowing the marriage age to be lowered by one year in exceptional cases, including pregnancy or the birth of a child.
The relevant draft law is under consideration by the Presidential Administration, Dilnoza Kattakhonova, chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Family and Women, said at a Senate meeting.
The draft law “On Amendments and Additions to Certain Legislative Acts in Connection with Improving the System of Support, Strengthening and Protection of the Family” provides for establishing a clear and exhaustive list of grounds for lowering the marriage age.
Under the proposal, the marriage age may be lowered by only one year and only in cases of pregnancy or the birth of a child.
The draft law also provides for administrative liability for calls, inducement or propaganda encouraging marriage to persons who have not reached the marriage age. A fine of 10 basic calculated amounts, equivalent to 4.4 million soums, is proposed for such actions.
Separate provisions of the document concern the dissolution of marriage without granting spouses a reconciliation period.
The proposed grounds would include violence or pressure against one of the spouses, abuse of alcohol or narcotic substances, HIV/AIDS infection, as well as continuous separate residence of the spouses for three years without valid reasons.
In addition, the draft law provides for exempting newlyweds who have entered into a marriage contract from paying the state fee for marriage registration. According to Dilnoza Kattakhonova, the measure is aimed at promoting the conclusion of marriage contracts.
