The number of years a person has lived. It is possible to understand a person’s stage of life based on their age. For example, the Convention on the Rights of the Child establishes that childhood goes from 0 to 18 years. The World Health Organization indicates that adolescence encompasses ages 10 to 19, and youth from 15 to 24. These conventions, however, sometimes go counter to the definitions of national legislations.
People have different needs, skills, and autonomy to exercise their rights depending on the moment in life in which they are. In this sense, the minimum legal age is a significant instrument to make progress in and protect the rights of children and adolescents. For example, the minimum legal age is established to perform certain actions, including marriage, giving consent for sex, giving medical consent (without the intervention from parents or guardians), working, completing schooling, assuming criminal responsibility, or going to court without the consent from mothers, fathers, or guardians.
Some countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have legal frameworks that specify minimum legal ages that are incompatible with those established by international law. Further, some legal frameworks present significant discrepancies amongst themselves.
Alto Comisionado de Naciones Unidas para los Refugiados (ACNUR). Política de edad, género y diversidad. El trabajo con las personas y las comunidades por la igualdad y la protección, 2011.
Salud y desarrollo adolescente en el contexto de la Convención de los Derechos del Niño, CRC/GC/2003/4, pág. 2. Comité de Derechos del Niño.
Las edades mínimas legales y la realización de los derechos de los y las adolescentes Una revisión de la situación en América Latina y el Caribe. 2016. Oficina Regional de UNICEF para América Latina y el Caribe (UNICEF LACRO).
Naciones Unidas. Juventud. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
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