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Bahrain - Divisive Positions on Minimum Age for Marriage
Arab News - 05 May, 2009
Lawmakers
from the largest opposition bloc in the Bahraini Parliament are opposing
setting the minimum marriage age for girls at 15, saying this is against
Islamic principles.
MPs from Al-Wefaq bloc are criticizing a ministerial order setting the marriage
age for girls at 15 and men at 18. “This decision is unconstitutional and
clearly interferes with the judiciary. It is against Islamic principles,” said
MP Haider Al-Sitri.
Top scholars are also backing lawmakers.
Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs Sheikh Khalid bin Ali Al-Khalifa made
the ministerial order recently.
He defended the decision and assured lawmakers that the decision did not
interfere with judicial authority. He said parents who were planning to marry
their children at younger ages could seek consent from courts.
The Bahrain Women Union said setting the age of marriage for girls at 15 was
not right. “The age of marriage for both men and women should be fixed at 18.
This can only be done if the details are included in the family law, which has
been waiting for years to be passed,” said Mariam Rowaie, head of the group.
She added the order was a violation of the UN Convention on the Elimination of
all Forms of Discrimination Against Women and other agreements that Bahrain is
a signatory of. “This is like promoting child marriage. They are supposed to be
in school rather than getting married. Early marriage of a girl confines her to
household activities and deprives her of an education,” said a human rights
advocate.....
Bahrain, like several other Arab countries, does not have a single codified
family law because of fears that amendment to the legislation would violate
Shariah.
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