Gaza – January 2022
The Women’s Affairs Center (WAC) in Gaza organized a roundtable discussion on “Raising the Legal Age for Marriage for Women to 18 and Above”, attended by His Eminence Sheikh Ibrahim Al Najjar, Supreme Court Judge, as well as representatives from government institutions, civil society organizations, human rights activists, and media professionals.
The meeting was part of an advocacy campaign aimed at raising the legal age of marriage for girls, under the project “Protection and Respect of the Rights of Vulnerable Women and Girls with and without Disabilities Survivors of GBV in the Gaza Strip”, implemented in partnership with ACHA and the Qatari Red Crescent, and funded by the European Union.
Ms. Amal Syam, Director of WAC, highlighted that the center has worked extensively since the 1990s to combat early marriage, emphasizing the need to limit legal exceptions and noting that minors are often unable to make life decisions, with early marriage depriving them of their right to education.
Supreme Court Judge Sheikh Ibrahim Al Najjar stated that laws can be amended to fit a changing society, noting that the primary goal of ending child marriage is to protect the rights of both women and men, safeguard society, and create a safe environment that respects all citizens. He emphasized that signs of puberty in girls are not only physical but also intellectual and cultural, contributing to family stability.
Participants concluded the meeting with several recommendations, including increasing awareness workshops in marginalized areas, especially in northern Gaza; conducting pre-marital workshops for young couples; enhancing the role of mosque preachers in addressing the risks of early marriage; restricting legal exceptions; and organizing family gatherings to raise mothers’ awareness about the rights of their children.
