While Kuwait recently took a step forward by raising the minimum age of marriage to 18, the broader fight against child marriage in the middle East and north Africa (MENA) region faces a daunting challenge, exacerbated by conflict, displacement, and shifting social norms.For U.S. readers, this issue might seem worlds away, but understanding the drivers and consequences of child marriage globally highlights the importance of advocating for women’s rights and human rights worldwide. Cases like these remind us of the struggles for equality that persist globally, even as battles are fought on the home front.

kuwait’s amendment to its Personal Status Law No. 51/1984 and Jaafari Personal Status law No. 124/2019 in mid-Febuary was prompted by alarming statistics: in 2024, 1,145 underage marriages were registered, involving 1,079 girls and 66 boys. This action reflects Kuwait’s commitment to international standards, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. These conventions underscore the widely accepted principle that child marriage is “a harmful practice,and a violation of human rights that only deepens gender inequality,particularly as it affects girls more than boys.”

However, the situation in other parts of the region paints a concerning picture. Proposed legal changes in iraq,and ongoing conflicts in Yemen,Syria,and Gaza,are fueling a rise in underage marriages,threatening the well-being and futures of countless girls.

Iraq: A Step Backwards?

Despite Iraqi law setting 18 as the minimum age of marriage – roughly equivalent to the age of majority in most U.S. states – proposed amendments to the personal Status Law are raising serious concerns. These amendments could grant Islamic courts greater authority to interpret Islamic law, potentially allowing clerics to permit marriages under the Jaafari school, followed by many religious authorities in Iraq.

Equality Now, a global feminist advocacy organization, has warned that these amendments risk exacerbating existing gaps in Iraq’s 1959 Personal Status Law, potentially creating “a fragmented legal system, with protections for children and women varying significantly across communities.”

The potential implications are important. Imagine a situation where a state court in the U.S. was given the authority to override federal law on marriage based on religious interpretation. The resulting legal chaos and inconsistencies would mirror the concerns raised by Equality Now.

According to UNICEF, child marriage rates in Iraq already vary widely by region. The highest rates are reported in Missan (43.5 percent), Najaf (37.2 percent), and Karbala (36.8 percent).

Dima Dabbous, Equality Now’s MENA representative, stated, “Fragmentation of laws creates loopholes that undermine the welfare of the most vulnerable, particularly girls, and weakens the state’s ability to uphold international human rights commitments.”

Conflict Zones: A Breeding Ground for Child Marriage

Conflict and displacement, prevalent across much of the MENA region, are major drivers behind the surge in child marriage. “in the Gaza Strip, where child marriage was less common, there is now a noticeable increase in the number of marriages,” according to Oxfam. This trend, echoing patterns seen in the U.S. during times of economic hardship and social disruption, illustrates how vulnerability and desperation can lead to decisions that compromise the future of young girls.

oxfam’s Qazzaz pointed out that conflict is “one of the main reasons” for the rising rates across MENA countries. “The reasons vary from fear for the safety of the girl to scarcity of resources that force families to marry their daughters to others who can provide for them.”

The situation in Gaza, marked by intense Israeli bombardment and restricted humanitarian aid as the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack, exemplifies this. After 16 months of war, the vast majority of Gaza’s population is displaced and reliant on limited aid. This dire situation creates an environment where families may see child marriage as a means of survival.

Yemen: A Crisis Compounded by War

Yemen, embroiled in a civil war since 2014, presents an equally bleak picture. the absence of a legal minimum marriage age makes it a hotspot for child marriage. The conflict has displaced over 4.5 million people, with 21.6 million in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

The economic strain of displacement and conflict, combined with existing cultural norms, has significantly increased underage marriages.This mirrors historical trends in other conflict zones, where the breakdown of social structures and economic hardship often lead to a rise in harmful practices.

Sudan and Syria: The Scars of Conflict

Even before the civil war in Sudan, child marriage and female genital mutilation rates were already high. UNICEF reported that 21 percent of girls aged 15 to 19 were married before the conflict began in April 2023. The ongoing hostilities, mass displacement, and economic decline threaten to worsen the crisis.

Syria presents a similar story. before the 2011 conflict, 13 percent of women aged 20 to 25 were married as minors. Over a decade of war and displacement has dramatically increased this figure, with an estimated 41 percent of Syrian girls now married before the age of 18.

Approximately 6.2 million Syrian refugees live in neighboring countries like Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq.Harsh living conditions in these refugee camps contribute to a rise in child marriage as a coping mechanism. In Jordan’s Zaatari camp, girls as young as 13 are reportedly married to much older men. UN figures indicate that 18 percent of adolescent Syrian refugee girls in Lebanon were married in 2014.

Addressing the Crisis: A Way Forward

Despite the grim statistics, national governments and international aid agencies are actively working to protect women and girls. Oxfam, for example, is a global partner of the Girls Not Brides campaign.

Qazzaz emphasized that “Most of our feminist and women rights partners work on child marriage as a major form of gender-based violence and seek to raise the age of marriage to 18. They document and challenge social and legal practices that allow for child marriage.”

oxfam’s efforts in Yemen have yielded progress in raising awareness and influencing policy. Through work on sexual and reproductive health and rights, “We built youth networks in six countries to advocate for their rights and lead awareness campaigns, including the right to choose when and whom to marry,” Qazzaz added.

The Broader Context: Conservatism and Geopolitical Tensions

The fight against child marriage is further complicated by rising conservatism and geopolitical tensions in the MENA region. “In the MENA region, it’s not just conflicts that impact child marriage — economic and natural disasters, as well as the rise in conservatism and the regression of women’s rights, also play a role,” Qazzaz said.

This means that “the achievements women’s rights organizations have gained through years of activism are at risk of being reversed.”