Age of Consent is too low in most developed countries

It’s shocking that in many developed countries the age of consent is as low as 12 or 13 (they take into account the physical maturity of the girl, not emotional.) At the same time, I am always fascinated how different societies and countries view the same issue. In this case, the laws pertaining to the age of consent for sex.
Britain and India
At present, Britain and India both have set the same age of consent: 16 years. What’s interesting however, is that there is there is a debate on in Britain about reducing this age from 16 to 12 years. The British Police feel that men who have sex with girls above the age of 12 and below the age of 16 should not be termed ‘pedophiles’ and this is what sparked off the debate.
In India there is a debate suggesting just the opposite: that the age of consent should be increased to 18.
We know why the increase in age of consent is needed in India. There are far too many teens being married off in semi-urban and rural India. This brings on early pregnancy and consequent health problems, which is what women’s organisations and NGO’s want to avoid. But why Britain should want to reduce the age of consent is a bit puzzling.
Isn’t mental maturity more important than physical?
Ofcourse, girls are becoming sexually mature earlier – but surely no psychologist can agree that girls in their early teens are mentally mature as well? Mature enough to take the consequences of early sexual relationships and perhaps an early pregnancy? Mature enough to make the right decision, after evaluating the consequences? Mature enough to be able to judge the character of the boy they are entering into a relationship with? In fact one keeps reading about girls who get messed up – both mentally and physically - because of a promiscuous lifestyle. This applies to young girls all over the world. Boys rarely have to take the consequences.
We don’t need early sex in modern societies
Early sex is fine for tribal societies – but completely wrong for our modern way of life. Premature sex and early marriage distracts the child from doing the most important thing that she needs do – growing up into an emotionally independent human being, getting a good education and becoming financially independent.

Some of the following statistics appeared in the TOI on 22nd November and other statistics I collected from AVERT, an international HIV and AIDS charity based in the UK :

Age of Consent

Canada: 14
France: 15
Japan: 13-18
Hong Kong: 16
USA: 14-18, depending on state
Italy/Lithunia/South Carolina/China: 14
Mexico: 12 +
Australia: 16-18, depending on state.
Germany: 14-16
Pakistan: Must be married
Denmark: 15
United Arab Emirates: Married/18
Argentina: 13-16
UK: 16
India:16
Switzerland: 16

Amazing isn’t it - that in so many countries men can have sex with little girls as young as 14? The law approves of it. The men who have sex with children have nothing to fear. Neither from the law, nor from their conscience. They have no fear of the consequences either. Neither the girl, nor society demands that they take responsibility. I sure hope that the Age of Consent is never reduced in India.