PUBLIC URGED TO WEIGH IN ON CONSIDERATION TO RAISE AGE OF CONSENT TO 18

Basseterre, Saint Kitts, March31, 2026 (SKNIS): Persons from all walks of life are strongly encouraged to attend a town hall meeting to share their views on a proposal to raise the age of sexual consent and marriage from 16 to 18 years.

The proposed measure by the government will be the subject of the meeting on Tuesday, March 31, at the Solid Waste Management Corporation Conference Room at 6 p.m. Presentations will be made by officials who will expound on the rationale for the proposal at this particular time. The floor will then be open for a question-and-answer segment.

The national debate is centred around the Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis’ mandate to strengthen child protection. Minister of State for Social Development, the Honourable Isalean Phillip, said that protecting society’s most vulnerable remains a priority for the government as it continues to expand child justice and meet international obligations.

“It’s also an opportunity for the ministry to be able to engage the public with other related issues concerning child justice, protections and rights across the Federation, and so we are really encouraging persons to participate because the feedback is being noted as we look to improve our systems for child protections” she stated.

Persons can also weigh in during the duration of the consultation process by sending direct messages to the social media accounts of the Ministry of Social Development and Gender Affairs.

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