New 2025 data reveals that Solomon Islanders are marrying later than many countries in the Pacific region.
The report shows that the average age at first marriage in the Solomon Islands is 20.3 years, ranking the country 24th globally. Women typically marry at 23, while men marry around 25.6 years.
Across the Pacific, neighbouring countries such as Kiribati (20.1 years) and Vanuatu (20.8 years) have similar marriage ages.
In contrast, many African countries report lower average ages at first marriage, including Liberia at 19 years and Mali at 19.1 years.
Experts attribute the rising age at marriage in Solomon Islands to social changes, including greater participation in education, urban migration, and evolving cultural norms around family formation.
Higher ages at first marriage are increasingly linked with better socio-economic outcomes for families and communities.
Despite this trend, child marriage remains a concern.
Current law allows individuals to marry at 15 with parental consent, while customary law permits marriage with no minimum age.
The Islanders’ Marriage Act in the Solomon Islands, specifically Cap. 171, currently allows for marriage at the age of 15 with parental or judicial consent.
However, the act is under review, and there is a push to raise the minimum marriage age to 18 to align with international human rights standards and address concerns about child marriage.
With new changes, Foreign Minister Peter Shanel Agovaka told Parliament this month that proposed amendments to the Islanders’ Marriage and Divorce Act aim to align marriage laws with other legal standards, such as the voting age.
He said, the changes reflect international human rights standards and growing calls for stronger child protection laws.
A report by a coalition of charities found that one in five girls in the Solomon Islands is married before 18, rising to one in four in rural areas, while around six percent marry before age 15.
The data highlights Solomon Islands’ position in the global marriage landscape, showing progress toward later marriage while emphasizing the ongoing need for child protection reforms.
According to Age at First Marriage by Country 2025 people are marrying later in life around the world, but the age at first marriage by country varies from as young as 19 to as old as 33.
‘’The average age at first marriage differs due to cultural norms and traditions, career and education goals, family readiness, shifting demographics, and more.
‘’The youngest age at first marriage by country comes from Chad in Central Africa. With couples usually marrying around age 19 (19.2) here, it stands apart from many other nations around the world where the average marriage age is creeping higher,’’ it reported.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star, Gizo
