Okaz/Saudi Gazette

DAMMAM — A Shoura Council panel has asked the Ministry of Justice to set the minimum age for the marriage of girls at 15 years.

In their proposal, Council members Moudi Al-Khalaf, Latifah Al-Shalan, Nourah Al-Musaed, Essa Al-Ghaith and Fowziyah Abalkhail also asked the ministry to enact a law to ban child marriage in the country.

While the proposal sought 15 years as the minimum marriage age for girls, it called for rigorous conditions for the marriage of girls under 18 years.

The conditions include the permission of the mother, a medical report detailing the bride-to-be's physical, psychological and social condition to ensure that she was suitable for marriage, the age of the groom must not be more than double the age of the bride, and the marriage must be done under the supervision of a sitting judge.

The Shoura Council found the recommendation to be in compliance with Shariah regulations as its purpose is to protect the physical and psychological health of women in Saudi society. Islam allows society to propose appropriate controls with regard to the process of marriage, it said, adding that marriage customs are largely influenced by social changes.

The proposal cited examples of Muslim countries such as Egypt where the minimal age for marriage is 18.

The Ministry of Health stated in a 2009 report that women married off at a young age endured many negative health consequences. It said women who marry very young are more prone to having miscarriages and may have to undergo Caesarean section during childbirth.

The report also stated women who marry early are prone to mental illnesses later in life. They tend to suffer from anxiety, depression, social insecurity, insomnia and sexual compatibility issues.

Moreover, many of them are married off at an age where they are not mature to become mothers. When the mother is unhealthy, the child suffers due to being raised by an unhealthy mother and they in turn become an economic burden on the Ministry of Health.

Early marriage is also affecting women's education as many of the young women quit their education after getting married. Education is one of the most important tools for empowering women to ensure social and cultural development.

There is also a strong correlation between poverty and early marriage. It is poverty that often leads to early marriage but it is early marriage that cultivates poverty as well. In many cases, the women become a burden on their families when they are divorced or widowed.

The proposal also states that child marriage is a violation of various international laws including Children Rights Agreement of 1988, Anti-Discrimination Against Women Agreement of 1979 and Anti-Human Trafficking and Abuse Protocol of 2000.