Egypt proposes bill to criminalise child marriage

Egyptian parliament has proposed a draft law criminalising child marriage, Egyptian newspaper, Youm7, reported yesterday.

The bill states that any perpetrator will be jailed and fined 5,000 – 10,000 Egyptian pounds ($317 – $633).

The proposal also includes a number of incentives for four-member families, which it describes as “exemplary families”. It also mentions rewarding families that have given birth to a child, at their discretion.

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“The bill does not include clauses on birth control, but rather positive incentives in education and social support for ideal families,” chairman of the parliament’s Defence and National Security Committee, Kamal Amer, announced, explaining that the draft law is aimed at controlling the country’s continuing overpopulation problems.

Overpopulation is a major concern in Egypt. Officials state that it is a serious obstacle for the country’s economic development, and that it is also linked to national security.

In mid-2019, Egypt’s population reached 99 million, according to state-run Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS).

Child marriage in the Middle East – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]