Many cases in our courts generate public interest and attract global attention. One such case recently debated in the local and international press was the marriage of an eight-year-old girl in Onaizah to a 50-year-old man. There were many attempts by people to end the marriage by divorce and the Human Rights Commission (HRC) even became involved in the case. There was another case of a 10-year-old child married to a man 25 years older. The problem is not in the difference in age but that the child is a child.
The world media will quickly become aware of such cases and publish them. Such stories reflect badly on us and our country. Officials and other responsible authorities should study these cases before they become widespread and common.
Those who describe child marriage as “trade” by fathers are right. Scientists and human right officials warn that children involved in such marriages will likely suffer from depression and psychological problems for the rest of their lives and will later fail to function properly as wives and mothers.
We need to protect our young daughters from those who are mentally ill. There are men who trade their daughters. For example, a man says to another, “Give me your young daughter or sister in marriage and I will give mine to you.” Such transactions in human beings will not help in building a healthy home and the marriage will probably end in divorce or even a hatred that will lead to crime. There are examples of women in such circumstances who blamed their parents and brothers for crimes they had committed.
In the past, families agreed that their sons and daughters would not get married until they reached a certain age. They married their sons and daughters to other families in order to establish ties and good relations, and not as trade and not to deprive them of their childhood.
Marrying young children is not logical and goes against society’s interest.
Why do men marry young children? It is certain that it is not because there are no marriageable women; instead the number of spinsters in the country is very high. There are those who take advantage of the poor financial situation of some families to “buy” their daughters. We thought that such things could only happen in movies but sadly we realize that they happen in our midst. We should work hard to increase awareness and protect children from such dark futures.
