Kuwait has raised the marriage age to 18 to combat child marriage amid alarming rates across the Arab world, particularly in conflict zones. Despite international commitments and legal reforms, challenges such as poverty, weak legal protections, and cultural norms perpetuate child marriage, affecting millions of girls in the region. Advocacy organizations like Oxfam are working to promote awareness and protect children’s rights in response to these issues.
In a significant development, Kuwait has increased the minimum marriage age to 18 years in an effort to safeguard children’s rights amidst alarming rates of child marriage in the region. This amendment to Kuwait’s Personal Status Law is part of a broader struggle across the Arab world, particularly in conflict-stricken areas where child marriage continues to be prevalent. In 2024 alone, Kuwait recorded 1,145 underage marriages, primarily among girls.
The legislative changes align with Kuwait’s commitments to international agreements like the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which considers child marriage a harmful practice that exacerbates gender inequality. Experts, such as Hadeel Qazzaz from Oxfam, emphasize that “Child marriage is a human rights violation,” affecting the educational and economic opportunities of girls, denying them autonomy, and increasing their vulnerability to violence.
Human Rights Watch reports that young brides are subject to domestic violence and limited access to education and healthcare, with 70% of married girls aged 15 to 19 encountering violence from their husbands. Complications from early pregnancies are also a leading cause of death among adolescent girls in developing nations, highlighting the dire consequences of child marriage.
The economic impact of child marriage is significant, with the International Monetary Fund suggesting that abolishing the practice could enhance GDP growth in developing countries by an average of 1.05 percentage points annually. Despite legislation aimed at curbing child marriage, the issue remains pervasive, especially in war-torn regions where socioeconomic challenges amplify this cultural practice.
Currently, the MENA region harbors approximately 40 million child brides, as reported by UNICEF, with alarming statistics showing that one in five girls marry before 18. Countries like Yemen, Iraq, and Sudan experience the highest rates, with many communities grappling with inadequate legal protections and deeply rooted gender biases, driving the prevalence of child marriages.
The situation in Iraq has worsened following recent amendments to personal status laws that indirectly permit marriages of girls as young as nine, raising concerns from both local and international advocates. Fragmented legal systems create inconsistencies in protections for children, exacerbating their vulnerability to marriage at a young age.
Conflict and displacement further intensify the challenges faced by girls in the region. In Gaza, for example, recent hostilities have led to increased rates of child marriage as families seek security through early marriages. Similarly, the ongoing civil war in Yemen hampers the establishment of a legal minimum age for marriage, leaving girls exposed to harmful practices.
In Jordan and Lebanon, refugee girls endure severe conditions, with economic hardships compelling families to marry daughters off at an early age as a survival tactic, thus perpetuating the cycle of poverty and violence. Notably, marriages in refugee settlements indicate the severity of the crisis.
Efforts being made by organizations such as Oxfam aim to address these issues by promoting awareness and advocating for legal reforms to protect girls from early marriages. Oxfam’s initiatives in countries like Yemen focus on enhancing the rights and autonomy of women, aiming to shift cultural perceptions and improve conditions for girls amidst prevailing challenges.
The plight of child marriage in the Middle East and North Africa remains a significant concern, particularly in regions afflicted by conflict and societal instability. Legislative efforts like those in Kuwait serve as hopeful steps toward change, yet they are often undermined by cultural practices and insufficient legal protections. The ramifications of child marriage extend beyond individual girls, affecting economic growth and perpetuating cycles of poverty and violence. Ongoing initiatives aimed at advocating for girls’ rights and raising awareness about the detrimental effects of child marriage are crucial to combating this global issue and ensuring a safer future for young women in the region.
Original Source: www.arabnews.com
