Gulf | Yemen

Yemen to tackle child marriages

About 80 per cent of Yemeni women get married early, according to a government report.

  • By Nasser Arrabyee, Correspondent
  • Published: 23:06 April 15, 2009
  • Gulf News

  • A Yemeni Jewish girl wearing an Islamic scarf ‘hejab'. Many girls marry very early but now the government is taking steps to raise the age of marriage.
  • Image Credit: EPA

Sana'a: About 80 per cent of Yemeni women get married early, according to a government report.

Early marriage is one of the main reasons behind the economic, health and social problems facing the development in Yemen, said the report which was presented to the cabinet by the Minister of Social Affairs and Labour.

Some 24.6 per cent of females get married when they are 10-14 years old, while 56 per cent of them get married when they are 15-19 years old, the report said.

The early marriage is a phenomenon in Yemen with respect to males and females, and it's widespread in both rural and urban areas, the report added.

Some 48 per cent of females under 15 years old get married early, and about 45 per cent of males and females get married when they are about 10 years, the report said.

The report said steps will be taken to reduce the early marriage through a ministerial committee made up of the ministers of social affairs, justice, legal affairs, health, guidance and Islamic affairs, and human rights.

The steps will include support for making the minimum age of marriage 17 years for both males and females.

A controversy has been going on in Yemen since February 11, 2009, when some Islamist MPs supported by some clerics refused as not Islamic the 17 years as the minimum age of marriage although it was voted for by the majority of the House of Representatives.

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