Participation - Legal Rights and Obligations of Youth

United Nations ESCAP
HRD Section

Free and Full Participation of Youth

Legal Rights and Obligations of Youth

Free and full participation of youth in society is a key issue in the World Programme of Action for Youth of the United Nations. It was also discussed during the Asia-Pacific Meeting on Human Resources Development for Youth, held in Beijing in October. An ESCAP survey, which had been prepared for that meeting, reviewed three aspects of youth participation:

age at which one can vote;
age at which one can marry without consent;
age at which one can be held liable for transgression of law.

Of the three aspects, the age that one can be held liable for transgression is generally lower than the age when youth can exercise the right to vote or marry without consent.

In the 28 countries participating in the survey, youth can vote at 18 years of age in some two-thirds of those countries. In 5 countries, the age to marry without consent of parents or guardians is dependent on gender, the female age being usually lower. Here are the data for each country participating in the survey.

Ages of legal rights and obligations in Asia and the Pacific

Country or area	Age to have the right to vote	Age to marry without consent of parents	Age to be held liable for transgression of the law
Azerbaijan	18	18	16
Bangladesh	18	21 (m) 18 (f)	21(m) 18(f)
Cambodia	18	25	18
China	18	22(m) 20(f)	16
Fiji	21	18	17
Guam	18	18	18
Hong Kong	18	18	17
Indonesia	17	21	18
Islamic Republic of Iran	15	15 (1)	15
Japan	20	20	20
Kazakstan	20	18	14
Macau	18	18	na
Malaysia	21	16	16
Maldives	21	16	16
Marshall Islands	18	18	18
Mongolia	18	18	16
New Caledonia	18	18	18
Niue	18	21(m) 18 (f)	14
Palau	18	18	18
Philippines	18	26 (2)	29 (3)
Rep. of Korea	20	18(m) 16(f)	14
Samoa	21	na	na
Singapore	21	21	16
Sri Lanka	18	18	18
Thailand	20	20	20
Turkmenistan	18	18	18 (4)
Tuvalu	18	21	20

DATA ARE DRAWN FROM QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY CARRIED OUT BY ESCAP IN 1996.

Notes: (m) Males. (f) Females. (1) For virgins, parental consent is necessary regardless of age. (2) Youth between ages 21 and 25 are obliged to ask their parents for advice on the intended marriage. (3) Until the offender reaches 21, he or she will be put to the custody of the Department of Social Welfare or an authorized training and rehabilitation institution. (4) Age of 14 for serious crimes.