In remote parts of Papua New Guinea, marriage is seen as a commercial transaction in which the groom's parents negotiates a price with the family of a woman from another village. The price is measured in pigs and shells. Seemingly low quality brides fetch around one or two pigs and a top quality bride can be worth upwards of 30! These pigs often make up part of the wedding feast.

Are civil partnerships permitted?

No

legal age of consent

21

polygamy legal status

Legal

Papua New Guinea ranks 5th in the countries with the highest child marriage rates.

In the developing world, one in seven girls is married before her 15th birthday and some child brides are as young as eight or nine.

Married by 15

2%

Married by 18

22%

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