The Tanzania Court of Appeal has upheld the land mark 2016 ruling by the High Court which increased the minimum age of marriage for girls and boys from 14 and 15 years respectively to 18 years.

In 2016, Our Executive Director, Rebeca Gyumi, brought a case challenging the constitutionality of child marriage in Tanzania, and demanding the government give girls equal protection under the law.

The High Court ruled that marriage under the age of 18 was illegal and directed the government to raise the minimum age of marriage to 18 for both boys and girls with one Year.

However, the Attorney General of the state appealed against the ruling. The state’s appeal was based on the claim that the disparity in the minimum age of marriage is a compromise to accommodate customary, traditional and religion cannot limit the fundamental right to equality and non-discrimination.

 Read the full judgement from the court of appeal here.