ICCPR General Comment No. 19: Protection of the Family, the Right to Marriage and Equality of the Spouses

This General Comment provides additional guidance on the interpretation of Article 23 of the ICCPR on family protection. In particular the General Comment:

• Notes that the concept of the family may differ in some respects from State to State, and there is no universal standard definition; however, a group of persons regarded as a family under national law should be given protection, and;
• Reaffirms the right of men and women of marriageable age to marry and to found a family, which implies the possibility to procreate and live together. This right imposes a duty on the State to adopt family planning policies, which should not be discriminatory or compulsory.