Family
Code civil family provisions with polygamy prohibited but widely practised
The Code civil sets marriage age at 18 and, since the 2019 Code civil revision, prohibits polygamy while recognising pre-existing polygamous unions. Customary and religious marriage remains the norm, and FGM is criminalised but highly prevalent.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — Tribunal de première instance in family matters; unregistered customary marriage lacks civil effect.
- Deadline — Birth registration: within the statutory period, commonly missed in rural areas
- Deadline — Divorce: judicial, with conciliation
Governing law
- Loi L/2019/0034/AN portant Code civil
- Loi L/2016/059/AN portant Code pénalFGM provisions
- Loi L/2000/010/AN sur la santé de la reproduction
In practice
Guinea illustrates the gap between code and practice more starkly than most: monogamy is the legal rule and FGM is a criminal offence, yet both polygamy and FGM remain common, and the vast majority of marriages are never civilly registered. Advising on succession therefore usually begins with proving the existence and form of a marriage rather than applying the Code's default rules.