90,000 Brazilian kids between 10 and 14 already wed

Some 90,000 Brazilian children between the ages of 10 and 14 were already married in 2010, while another 500,000 wed before their 18th birthdays, according to a study released on Wednesday in Brasilia.

The report, produced by the Promundo Institute with support from Unicef and the Ford Foundation, was based on data from Brazil's 2010 census and independent research focused on the northern states of Para and Maranhao, reports Efe.

Those two regions, which are among the poorest in the country, have the highest incidence of early marriage, due largely to economic and cultural deprivation, the Promundo Institute said.

Under Brazilian law, the minimum age for marriage is 18.

The law, however, allows couples as young as 16 to wed with the consent of their parents and permits even broader exceptions in cases involving pregnancy with familial or judicial authorisation.