Yep, they're quick to bang on about the third world and Islam yet the USA has no hard and fast federal protection for children against being packed off to be married against their will at the behest of parents. Which seems incredible and frankly barbaric to me and yet there it is.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2017/02/10/why-does-the-united-states-still-let-12-year-old-girls-get-married/?utm_term=.6bdfd40ddd99
While most states set 18 as the minimum marriage age, exceptions in every state allow children younger than 18 to marry, typically with parental consent or judicial approval. How much younger? Laws in 27 states do not specify an age below which a child cannot marry.
Obviously I wondered about here and the answer is 18 but with granted court consent it can be lower (the gubberment are intending to remove this) which is common feature across Europe. Anyway you'd think a country that doesn;t allow legal drinking of alcohol until 21 might be a bit less tardy than they are. Suddenly I realise that Jerry Lee Lewis marrying a 13 year old was only controversial due to her being his cousin!
The highest age is 22 in China and the Central African Republic.
So would you allow a child to be married before they've left school if you were allowed under law?