Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi issued a presidential decree to comply with the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child on the matter of child marriage, making it illegal for Egyptian citizens to get married before the age of 18. Sisi’s decree, originally issued in February, revoked Egypt’s previous “reservations” on Article 21 (2) of the Charter, which states, “Child marriage and the betrothal of girls and boys shall be prohibited and effective action, including legislation, shall be taken to specify the minimum age of marriage to be 18 years and make registration of all marriages in an official registry compulsory.” The decree also removed Egypt’s reservations on articles 24, 30 (e) and 44, which deal with adoption, imposing death sentences on the mothers of children and communication, respectively. The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, which was adopted in 1990, outlines the rights African countries are expected to ensure for their children. Child marriage remains a common practice in Egypt, particularly in underprivileged areas, despite a 2008 law increasing the legal marrying age to 18 for both males and females. Prior to…
Egypt’s Sisi Issues Presidential Decree to Comply With African Charter, Outlaw Child Marriage
December 1, 2015
