HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-86 - Announcing Its Commitment to End Child Marriage by Calling For an "End Child Marriage Under 18, No Exceptions" Law and Authorizing the City Manager, or Designee, to Provide Educational Information Pertaining to Ending Child MarriageRESOLUTION NO. 2020-86
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA, ANNOUNCING
ITS COMMITMENT TO END CHILD MARRIAGE BY
CALLING FOR AN "END CHILD MARRIAGE UNDER 18,
NO EXCEPTIONS" LAW AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER, OR DESIGNEE, TO PROVIDE
EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO
ENDING CHILD MARRIAGE
WHEREAS, each year minors are coerced and forced into marriages in cities
across the United States;
WHEREAS, child marriage, a formal marriage or informal union where one or both
parties are under the age of 18, is defined as a human rights abuse by the Department
of State, UNICEFand Human Rights Watch ("Child Marriage");
WHEREAS, as a member of the United Nations, the United States adopted the
United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development including a commitment to
achieving the Sustainable Development goals, including Goal 5 to "Achieve gender
equality and empower all women and girls," and specifically target 5.3: "Eliminate all
harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage";
WHEREAS, the American Medical Association has called for an end to Child
Marriage stating "Child marriage is associated with higher rates of sexually transmitted
infections, early pregnancies, divorce, and intimate partner violence than women married
at age 21 ";
WHEREAS, UNICEF USA has stated that "Child Marriage harms children, leaving
devastating, often permanent, impacts on their health, education and happiness. Child
marriage often leads to forfeited education, mental illness, social isolation and serious
health risks";
WHEREAS, UNICEF USA has also stated that once they're married, minors do
not have the legal capacity to get divorced, nor do they have the financial capacity to
retain an attorney or support themselves;
WHEREAS, a report by the United Nations Population Fund finds that minors in
unwanted or abusive marriages suffer social isolation from their support networks like
school, friends and family, which contributes to their poor mental health;
Resolution 2020-86
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WHEREAS, the United Nations Population Fund report also finds that minors who
marry early are more likely to discontinue their formal educations prematurely, which
limits their access to better -paid work and decision-making positions outside of the home;
WHEREAS, the State of California, is one of only thirteen states, in which there is
no minimum age for marriage by statute;
WHEREAS, Child Marriage in the United States is not confined to any religious or
cultural group;
WHEREAS, American children of all backgrounds are at risk in California cities
because the law permits marriage before the age of majority;
WHEREAS, the overwhelming evidence of adverse effects on the minor's
wellbeing and the remaining risk of abusive relationships with older partners calls for an
"End Child Marriage Under 18, No Exceptions" law;
WHEREAS, the states of Delaware, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey
have already passed laws ending Child Marriage for all minors, without exception; and
WHEREAS, the City of Newport Beach ("City") has determined that it is a moral
imperative and undeniably in the best public interest of the City to protect all minors from
Child Marriage.
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Newport Beach resolves as
follows:
Section 1: The City Council hereby calls on the California State Legislature to
introduce and pass legislation to "End Child Marriage Under 18, No Exceptions".
Section 2: The City Council hereby calls on other California municipalities to
pass resolutions showing their commitment to end Child Marriage.
Section 3: The City Council hereby authorizes and directs the City Manager, or
designee, to provide information regarding opposing the practice of Child Marriage and
make known to City residents the availability of various letter -writing campaigns designed
to "End Child Marriage Under 18, No Exceptions" on a state and federal level.
Section 4: The recitals provided in this resolution are true and correct and are
incorporated into the operative part of this resolution.
Resolution 2020-86
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Section 5: If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this
resolution is, for any reason, held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not
affect the validity or constitutionality of the remaining portions of this resolution. The City
Council hereby declares that it would have passed this resolution, and each section,
subsection, sentence, clause or phrase hereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or
more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared invalid or
unconstitutional.
Section 6: The City Council finds the adoption of this resolution is not subject to
the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the
activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the
environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378)
of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3,
because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or
indirectly.
Section 7: This resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the
City Council, and the City Clerk shall certify the vote adopting the resolution.
ADOPTED this 13th day of October, 2020.
, , "/� e, �/,&, �/,
Will O'Neill
Mayor
ATTEST:
Leilani I.' E
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
C.
Aaroh C. Harp
City Attorney
STATE OF CALIFORNIA }
COUNTY OF ORANGE } ss.
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH }
I, Leilani I. Brown, City Clerk of the City of Newport Beach, California, do hereby certify that the
whole number of members of the City Council is seven; the foregoing resolution, being Resolution
No. 2020-86, was duly introduced before and adopted by the City Council of said City at a regular
meeting of said Council held on the 13th day of October, 2020; and the same was so passed and adopted
by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: Mayor Will O'Neill, Mayor Pro Tem Brad Avery, Council Member Joy Brenner, Council
Member Diane Dixon, Council Member Duffy Duffield, Council Member Jeff Herdman,
Council Member Kevin Muldoon
NAYS: None
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the official seal of
said City this 141h day of October, 2020.
A6c.
J
Leilani I. ffrow7n
City Clerk
Newport Beach, California