The National Council for Childhood and Motherhood (NCCM) has taken measures regarding the engagement of two children in Kafr el-Sheikh, NCCM Secretary General Azza al-Ashmawy said. According to Ashmawy, the NCCM’s child helpline received a notification about the incident, after which the council’s General Committee for Child Protection in Kafr el-Sheikh was instructed to investigate. In case of the marriage of a girl below the legal age, the marriage registrar (Mazoun) and the parent of each of the bride and groom are to be arrested, a security source in Kafr el-Sheikh said. Such statistics led to the proposal of a new draft law in June 2018 aiming to criminalize 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 18, 2018 10:52 UTC