A member of the Women's Fraction in Parliament announced that the Judicial Commission of the Parliament has rejected the proposal to prohibit marriage for girls under 13 years old. This proposal must also be reviewed in the public session of the Parliament, where representatives can vote in favor of it. Tayebe Siawoshi reported on Twitter that the Judicial and Legal Commission of the Parliament has rejected this proposal 'completely'. According to the Parliament's regulations, the report of the Judicial and Legal Commission regarding the rejection of this proposal will be read in the public session of the Parliament, and representatives can vote in favor of this proposal contrary to the Commission's opinion. According to Ms. Siawoshi, the reasons given by the opponents were 'mostly religious and jurisprudential issues', and they referred to this proposal as 'a copy of Western proposals'. On October 4, 2018, the urgency of this proposal was approved. According to this proposal, 'the minimum marriage age for girls is 16 years and for boys is 18 years. Marriage contracts for girls aged 13 to 16 and for boys aged 16 to 18 are subject to the permission of a guardian and the consideration of the court, provided that there is physical capability for marriage as determined by a forensic doctor.' Members of the Women's Fraction in Parliament had met with several Shia religious authorities to gain their support for this proposal. Some religious authorities, including Naser Makarem Shirazi, had agreed with this proposal. However, Yahya Kamali Pour, a member of the board of the Judicial and Legal Commission, stated that one of the reasons for rejecting this proposal was 'the opposition of religious authorities'. Hassan Norouzi, the spokesman for the Judicial and Legal Commission, also announced that this Commission will 'soon draft a more comprehensive proposal'. According to statistics, about 40,000 girls under 15 years old get married annually in Iran, and more than 1,000 girls under 15 years old get divorced. Meanwhile, Farahnaz Minaei Pour, the director of women's and family affairs at the Ministry of Education, reported on December 21 that 42 students in North Khorasan province got married during elementary school and thus dropped out of school.
Marriage Proposal for Girls Under 13 Rejected by Parliament Commission Due to 'Religious Issues'
The Iranian Parliament's Judicial Commission has rejected a proposal to prohibit marriage for girls under 13, citing religious reasons. Despite some support from religious authorities, the proposal faces significant opposition. This issue is critical as it highlights ongoing debates about child marriage and women's rights in Iran.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The Iranian Parliament's Judicial Commission has rejected a proposal to raise the minimum marriage age for girls to 16, citing religious reasons. Despite some support from religious authorities, the proposal faces significant opposition.
- Around 40,000 girls under 15 get married annually in Iran.
- The proposal aimed to set the minimum marriage age at 16 for girls and 18 for boys.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Child marriage remains a contentious issue in Iran, with significant cultural and religious implications. The legal framework surrounding marriage is influenced by both civil law and Islamic jurisprudence.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%