Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur: are the poverty, the laws and the traditions of the causes of child marriage

the KUALA LUMPUR (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The poverty, the lack of access to education and sexual education, social stigma, according to which the wedding are the best choice to solve the problems: are some of the six factors identified by the government of malay as the main causes for child marriage. You learn it by Asianews. The federal government of Kuala Lumpur - following the awareness-raising campaign on the part of some humanitarian organisations (no.d.r.) - has presented to the public seven goals, 17 strategies, and 58 between programs and actions to address the widespread phenomenon through a five-year strategic plan (2020-2025).

The impact on the health of girls of 15 years pregnant. During the press conference of presentation of the document, dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail – deputy prime minister malaysian – stated that the plan, not only will address the causes of child marriage, but indirectly it will help to overcome other social problems that affect families and children. “The child marriage – has explained the deputy prime minister – has a profound impact on the health of a teen; studies show that girls pregnant between the ages of 15 and 19 years run a greater risk of death during pregnancy or childbirth”. The dottoresa Wan Azizah, who is also the minister for Women, Family and community Development, has announced that 61 the national agencies participating in the initiative of the government.

The minimum age to marry at 18, but not all of them accept. Among the actions foreseen by the plan is the strengthening of the programs of social-economic support and awareness-raising; the increase in the minimum age of marriage to 18 years for girls; and the provision of services to the sexual and reproductive health suitable for children. A steering committee led by the ministry will monitor the implementation of the plan. The deputy minister Hannah Yeoh said the government will also work with non-muslims, the Orang Asli [indigenous malays, ed], and natives of States of Sabah and Sarawak (in Borneo), with the aim of involving all communities in the fight against child marriage. “To obtain the consent of the individual States to change the law it is necessary only with regard to the unions of the islamic. Our data, however, show that traditional marriages in Sabah and Sarawak (the two States where christians are the majority, ed) are equally popular among non-muslims”. So far only the State of Selangor, has increased to 18 years the legal age for marriages between muslims, while in other Territories, the federal legislation is in the process of being amended. Penang, Sabah, Johor, Melaka and Perak have agreed to do so; Sarawak, Pahang, Terengganu, Perlis, Negri Sembilan, Kedah and Kelantan are opposed to it.

The obligation of the questions for weddings islamic. Fuzia Salleh, deputy minister in the Department of the premier, he added that the government has introduced guidelines that make it mandatory for the submission of applications for weddings islamic among minors in the High court of the Syariah, the body member of the islamic jurisprudence. “The parents must submit to the court reports on the physical and mental health issued by the health officials and from the Department of social security. Fathers and mothers will also be interviewed, to determine the factors behind their questions,” said Salleh.

The civil laws and those of the muslim. In Malaysia, islamic law and civil allow children to be married. According to the civil law, non-muslims can get married only from 18 years old. The girls non-muslim can marry from the age of 16, provided that they obtain the permission of the respective Menteri Besar, chief minister of the State. For muslims, the minimum age of marriage is the same for girls and boys and non-muslims. You may, however, make exceptions, as long as the young people obtain the consent of the religious courts. The civil Code also provides that a parent or a legal guardian may give his written consent to marriages between minors. According to official statistics, between 2005 and 2015 have been registered 10.240 marriages among muslim children, an average of 1,024 each year. For non-muslims, a total of 2.104 girls are married at the age of 16 years between 2011 and September 2015. This means that every year marry about 420 girls non-muslim under the age of 18.

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