Supreme Court nominee Janapare Adzua Bartels-Kodwo has weighed in on the ongoing national debate surrounding the legal ages for sexual consent and marriage, suggesting that robust educational initiatives could be more impactful than continuous legislative adjustments. Her remarks were made during her parliamentary vetting today.
Challenged on the perceived inconsistency of allowing sexual consent at age 16 while requiring individuals to be 18 to marry, Bartels-Kodwo articulated concerns about the potential consequences. “Sometimes it’s very difficult to take a step back from that morality. Somebody can have sex at 16 but cannot marry. What is the whole point? All the dangers are there,” she observed, highlighting the practical and ethical dilemmas posed by the current legal structure.
The nominee championed education as a foundational solution while expressin6 skepticism about the efficacy of solely legislative approaches, arguing that “we can’t keep legislating; we will come back and have the same conversation.” Instead, she emphasized the importance of allowing girls to mature and develop fully. Her position suggests a focus on empowering individuals through knowledge and opportunities to make informed life choices, rather than relying solely on legal age restrictions to govern complex social behaviors.
Story By: Eugenia Ewoenam Osei
