Okaz

Okaz daily recently reported that the Minister of Justice ordered the Department of Marriage Registrars not to complete the marriage procedures of an underage girl in Asir. The minister ordered an investigation in the case and summoned the marriage registrar who solemnized the marriage ceremonies in flagrant violation of the Child Protection Law.

I would like to thank the minister for rescuing this girl because underage marriages should be stopped even if a girl expresses her consent to such a marriage. This is unacceptable as a girl who has not reached the age of adulthood is not capable of making the right decision when it comes to marriage. Usually, such marriages are doomed to fail and many have. Some marriages end up with both spouses going their separate ways.

Strikingly, section (3) of Article 16, of the regulations of the Child Protection Law, states that it is obligatory before concluding the marriage contract to make sure that the underage person will not be negatively affected by the said marriage. This text is not clear and does not ban underage marriages; on the contrary, it leaves the matter to an evaluation that might be correct or wrong and to circumstances that might change later.

What is worse is that it does not say who should conduct such an evaluation. However, the Ministry of Justice requires the court to decide if the marriage will have a negative impact on the underage person.

We need a clearer text and mechanisms regarding this issue. Underage marriages are frowned upon and can damage the reputation and image of the Saudi people and the country and might even depict the Kingdom as a country that does not protect the rights of children. Let us be kind to our children and let us protect our country from decisions that might tarnish its image.

Twitter: @K_Alsuliman