The government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has initiated a significant legal reform to increase the nation’s age of consent, addressing a longstanding disparity in its legislation. Currently, the law sets the age of consent at 15 for females but provides no defined legal age for males, a discrepancy now slated for modernization.
The landmark announcement emerged during parliamentary debates on the 2026 national budget. Laverne Gibson-Velox, Minister of Family and Gender Affairs, Persons with Disabilities and Labour, publicly commended the government’s decision. Articulating the rationale behind the reform, Minister Gibson-Velox stated, ‘If you can’t vote and you can’t pay NIS (National Insurance Services), you’re not ready for adult activity or childbearing. Your education and your values are more important at this stage.’
This legislative shift fulfills a call to action made nearly a year ago by Godwin Friday, who was then the Leader of the Opposition and is now the Prime Minister. During prior parliamentary sessions focused on amending penalties for sex crimes, Friday emphasized the urgent need for this change, describing the issue as a ‘blight’ and a ‘scourge on our society.’ He highlighted the prevalence of preventable tragedies affecting young girls and expressed hope that stricter penalties would catalyze a serious national discussion.
While the exact new age has not yet been specified, the move signifies a proactive step toward aligning the country’s legal framework with contemporary standards of child protection and gender equality. The current statute imposes harsher penalties for sexual activity with females under the age of 13, but the absence of a male consent age has been a notable gap. The reform is positioned as the beginning of a broader effort to enhance societal well-being and safeguard the nation’s youth.