Coming under local and international criticism after marriages of young girls to men at the age of their fathers, Saudi Arabia is considering a total ban on underage marriages. “Among the options that are available and excluding the issue of puberty, is to ban marriage for (people) under 18,” Justice Minister Mohammed al-Eissa was reported as saying on May 2. His remarks came two days after an eight-year old girl marrying a man more than 40 years her senior won divorce from a Saudi court. The girl regained her freedom after an out-of-court settlement with her 50-year-old husband who refused to divorce her twice before the court. She was forced by her father to marry the old man last August in exchange for about $13,000. But the girl’s mother had filed a lawsuit demanding the marriage be annulled, but the court upheld the marriage twice after failing to persuade the husband to divorce. The court also ruled that the girl would have to wait until she reached puberty to file a petition then. The case was one of numerous child marriage cases highlighted by Saudi media in the recent months. The justice minister said the ban, if approved, would help solve one of the most continuous problems facing Saudi society.
SAUDI ARABIA TO BAN UNDERAGE MARRIAGE
Coming under local and international criticism after marriages of young girls to men at the age of their fathers, Saudi Arabia is considering a total ban on underage marriages.
