Nepal Debates ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Law Reform
In order to avoid treating consensual relationships between close-in-age youngsters as rape, Nepal is thinking about amending its criminal code. However, the planned reform has spurred discussion about the nation’s social reality and child protection.
A Saptari case involving a 15-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy who eloped due to family objections brought attention to the topic. In 2022, the Supreme Court cleared the youngster of charges of rape and kidnapping, but he was given a six-month sentence for child marriage.
Similar incidents, according to solicitors, are frequent, particularly in intercaste relationships where families may file rape allegations to obstruct unions. Regardless of permission, any sexual contact involving a person under the age of eighteen is considered rape under Nepal’s existing legal system.
A government task force has proposed a ‘Romeo and Juliet’ provision with a three-year age-gap rule for consensual teenage relationships. However, rights activists and legal experts have questioned whether the proposal reflects Nepal’s social conditions, arguing that it was influenced by foreign legal models.
The reform’s detractors claim that it primarily protects boys from prosecution while ignoring the difficulties girls suffer, such as pregnancy, abandonment, discrimination, and a lack of assistance. To truly protect teenagers, experts contend that legislative measures must be paired with improved social safety, healthcare, and education.
