Child marriage

Have you ever heard of child marriage? Watch the story of Somaya, one of the child brides from Afghanistan.

Child marriage happens around the world, including Malaysia. Read the passage below to know more about it.

Child brides are not unheard of in Malaysia. According to a United Nations (UN) report from 2010, over 80,000 married women in Malaysia were girls between the ages of 15 and 19. However, the actual number could be higher as many couples do not register their marriages.

Malaysia has a dual legal system, which means that the minimum age of marriage can be determined by either civil law or Sharia (Islamic) law. Non-Muslims may only marry from the age of 18, but girls can be married as early as 16 provided they or their parents have the permission of the State Chief Minister. Girls have also been married even earlier with the permission of a Sharia court.

Girls Not Brides, an organisation committed to ending child marriage stated that child marriage in Malaysia is driven by a few factors which include trafficking, traditional attitudes, gender norms and pre-marital sex.

There have been many cases in Malaysia where parents are too poor to support their children and would marry off their young daughters to older men so that they are taken care of. According to reports, some young wives were alleged victims of marital rape – which has yet to be criminalised in the country.

Some conservatives would also argue that it is better for girls to marry at a young age in order to curb pre-marital sex in the Muslim-majority country. In 2014, the UN expressed concern that authorities in Malaysia were encouraging child marriage to curb pre-marital sex and children born out of wedlock. Sex outside of marriage is an offense in Malaysia. This often drives youths into marriage out of fear of prosecution.