Child Marriage still exists in many places around the world and it is on the rise in Iran. The practice is on the wane among Iran’s wealthier families, but among poorer communities in rural areas, girls under 15 are being forced to marry to alleviate their families’ economic hardship.
Child Marriage Less Common For Boys
Though it is less common, boys also marry at a young age in some areas of Iran.
According to the Association for the Protection of the Rights of the Child in Iran, the number of girls who were married under the age of 15 has risen from 33,000 in 2006 to 43,000 in 2009, which shows a 30% increase in just three years. This is while only in 2015, close to 13,000 children were divorced.
Official Iranian government statistics indicate that tens of thousands of girls and boys under the age of 15 are being forced into marriage by their families annually. However, the actual numbers are higher because many families in Iran do not register or informally register marriages to or between children …
Majlis Failed To Act
Majlis representative Tayebeh Siavoshi, who is also a member of the women’s parliamentary faction, said the Majlis had looked into the issue of child marriages in the parliament.
“The issue of child marriage has been brought up in Majlis from about a year ago but due to opposing paradigms, we still have not been able to reach a definite result,” she said.
Read the PDF about forced marriage to children in Iran.
