“A law should be enacted to prevent child marriage”
Women, victims of child marriage in the Federal Kurdistan Region, told us their stories and demanded that a law should be enacted to prevent child marriage.
TERZE TEHA
Raperîn – The number of victims of child marriage in the Federal Kurdistan Region is increasing day by day. The victims of child marriage told us their stories and demanded that a law should be enacted to prevent child marriage. “Children under the age of 18 should not be married off,” said one of the women.
She was forced into child marriage at the age of 11
“Only adult people should get married. Most early marriages lead to divorce,” 38-year-old Ruha İsmail told us.
21-year-old Lanya Edanan was only 11 years old when she was forced into child marriage. She has now a daughter. “I will not marry my daughter at a young age. Marriage life is very hard. Children under the age of 18 shouldn’t be married off. I faced many difficulties. Therefore, I will not allow my daughter to face what I faced.”
Child marriage ends their childhood
19-year-old Hevi Arif thinks people should get married after 25 years old or more. “Child marriage should be prevented,” she said.
56-year-old Fatma Ebdurehman was forced into child marriage at the age of 16. “I had a tough and bad life. I didn’t have a choice.”
Expressing that children under the age of 18 should not be married off, 47-year-old Fatma Qadira said that child marriage ends the children’s childhood.
“The government should enact laws to prevent child marriage”
Aşna Hesen, a member of the Kurdistan Women's Union in Haciawa, Charqurne and Ranya, stated that those who want to get married at a young age are affected by social networks and families should prevent this. “Because they face many difficulties. The government and families have a great responsibility to prevent marriage at a young age. The government should enact laws to prevent child marriage and marriage at a young age,” she told us.
Lawyer Ranya Tavan Hekim: Child marriage is illegal
Lawyer Ranya Tavan Hekim defines child marriage and marriage at a young age as a “disaster”. “Some young girls are forced into marriage. This happens illegally. Many girls under the age of 18 are married each day. The enactment of laws preventing child marriage and marriage at a young age can solve this phenomenon.”