Colombia’s Constitutional Court ruled on Tuesday that marriages between children under fourteen can be nullified, as the couples are not old enough to make life-binding decisions.
According to a report by Caracol Radio, the Court ruled further that pregnancies do not change the ability of parents or guardians to nullify the marriage.
Judge Mauricio Gonzalez Cuervo insisted that the pregnancy or motherhood of a girl does not prove her maturity.
The judge stressed that children of underage, unmarried parents have the same opportunities as children of underage married couples.
According to a 2007 study in the Colombian city of Cali, 24% of the pregnancies are of girls under 18. The same study showed that 80% of sexually active children under 16 do not use birth control.