Child Marriage

The Iranian government must improve its rules on women's and girls' right to free and informed marriage, according to Justice for Iran's latest report. Current government policies permit infringements on girls' and women's autonomy and are incompatible with Iran's international human rights commitments. In 2013 thousands of girls under 15 were forced to marry.

Kadidiatou Baldé , a 14 year old girl from Dinguiraye village in Senegal, was in fifth grade when her parents announced that she was to be married to a 24 year old man from the local area in April this year. Kadidiatou was disadvantaged by the fact that her father is dead and her mother and uncles, who she lives with, are poor. So when the man asked to marry her, her family accepted as the man comes from a wealthy family and has plans to migrate to Europe. Nonetheless, Kadidiatou was by no means content with the plans made for her; she was a bright student who wished most of all to continue her education.

Shirkat Gah has given women new understanding of their situations and their rights, and has empowered them to challenge the injustices around them. Here, three women say what Shirkat Gah has done for them.

Illegalisation of forced and early marriages, banning forced sex change operations, and formal recognition of the rights of sexual minorities are among recommendations offered by various countries during the second Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on the situation of human rights in Iran.

Participants of a two-day youth conference demanded on Monday legislature set the minimum age for marriage at 18 years for both boys and girls and urged the government to stop child marriages. Shirkat Gah – a women’s resource centre – had organised the National Youth Convention on Peace, Pluralism and Democratic Norms.

Oral Statement delivered on behalf of Shirkat Gah Women’s Resource Centre by Lakshmi Sundaram, Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage:

Ending child, early and forced marriage is a long-term undertaking that will require comprehensive and coordinated action across Ministries and in partnership with civil society and other relevant stakeholders. We call on governments to recognise the critical role played by civil society organisations, particularly community-level groups and religious and community leaders, and to work closely with them in developing and implementing solutions.