LDWG study on marriage of girl minors highlights the negative role of religious institutions

A study on the ‘Early marriage of girls: a violation of childhood and a reproduction of poverty’ has shown that over 90% of early marriages have taken place ‘effortlessly’ at Lebanon’s religious courts by completing very ‘simple procedures’. The study which was published last week pointed out to the negative role of religious institutions in promoting the marriage of minors, particularly girls. It also raised serious questions on existing challenges to change the current practices which reinforce violence against women and girls. The review which was prepared by university professor and researcher, Dr. Zuheir Hatab, in cooperation with the Lebanese Democratic Women Gathering (LDWG) also revealed that 70% of rural women were wed between 14-23 years of age, and were usually of “low educational and cultural levels”. It also indicated a strong correlation with the financial situation, noting that 80% of the respondents belong to extremely poor and disadvantaged households. Some 250 women from all over Lebanon who married under the age of 17 in the period between 2005 and 2015, were targeted by the survey. The research seeks to step up efforts to formulate a draft law that will unify the age of marriage at 18 years for all religious sects, and that will be applicable as well to refugees and foreign girls living on the Lebanese territory. The endeavor also calls for stricter government application of the mandatory requirement of official registration of marriages, and for penalizing the minor’s guardian or any party that facilitates the drawing of marriage contracts for girls under 18 years old. (Al Akhbar, December 19, 2015)