MP Souad al-Masry for Port Said governorate has proposed raising the legal marriage age for girls to 21 years old in order to address the phenomenon of marriage of minors, which she said has to become a threat to the public security of the Egyptian society. The current legal marriage age is 18. She stressed the need to make the punishment harsher on all parties involved in the marriage of minors, including the parents and the marriage registrar. This is not the first bill proposed to Egypt’s parliament to combat child marriage. The bill also stipulates that the Mazoun (an official who performs the marriage) must notify the General Prosecution if a child marriage is occurring.

Source: Egypt Independent December 20, 2018 10:30 UTC