The Ukrainian Parliament is to vote on a draft lowering the legal age for marriage to 14 years old
Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2026 1:28 pm
https://tfiglobalnews.com/2026/02/04/th ... edophilia/
A newly registered draft of Ukraine’s Civil Code has triggered widespread debate across social media and international headlines, with claims circulating that the country plans to allow marriage from the age of 14. The proposal, part of a major overhaul of private and family law, would permit marriage at 14 only under very narrow circumstances—specifically when a girl is pregnant or has given birth—while maintaining the general marriage age at 18. As the bill remains in its early stages, experts and rights groups are weighing in on its implications for child protection, gender equality, and Ukraine’s EU integration path.
The draft bill, officially registered as No. 14394 on January 22, 2026, was initiated by Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine’s parliament). Titled the “Civil Code of Ukraine (Code of Private Law),” the document seeks to modernize and consolidate civil legislation, including by incorporating the existing Family Code into a single framework. Among the changes is an update to the rules governing marriage age, outlined in proposed Article 1478 (Chapter 94, “Right to Marriage”).