

In some areas of the world, arranged marriage, child marriage, polygamy, coverture and forced marriage are practiced, while other outlawed them to protect human rights. Individuals may marry for several reasons, including legal, social, libidinal, emotional, financial, spiritual, and religious purposes. In some cultures, marriage is recommended or considered to be compulsory before pursuing any sexual activity. Typically, it is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually sexual, are acknowledged or sanctioned. It is nearly a cultural universal, but the definition of marriage varies between cultures and religions, and over time. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between them and their in-laws.

Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses.
