“Bent EL-Nile” group submitted its first report to the Esteemted Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Committee)  ,  on child marriage in accordance with Egyptian law, tackling the need for legal mechanisms to enact a penalty for such crime, which would contribute to end it tool towards a safe life for girls in Egypt and consequently addressed and dicussed  the policies taken by the State to reduce this phenomenon. the report shided the light on the “national strategy to reduce early marriage” which was drafted in 2015 but wasn’t  taken into consideration or being  activated  uptill now, or criminalized by the Egyptian law  despite the appeals of the National Council of Women and the National Council for Motherhood and Children or the requests of different Egyptian parliamentarians, to be considered as a crime..

We therefore are calling to raise voices and share our recommendations with the State, in order  to take the necessary measures to criminalize this phenomenon, which is widespread in rural governorates and upper Egypt.

Recommendations

1. Expedite the enactment of a law that criminalizes underage marriages, and all forms of violence against women and girls; amend the Penal Code to include provisions that impose penalties on whoever aids or abets the perpetration of such crimes, particularly the husbands and legal guardians; and increase the penalties imposed on public officials who participate in such crimes.

2. Draft and adopt a serious national strategy that aims to put an end to the crime of underage marriage in Egypt, in consultation with relevant international organizations and local civil society organizations.

3. Develop medical, psychological, and social rehabilitation programs for female victims of gender-based violence (GBV), especially the crime of underage marriage, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, NCW, the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood (NCCM) and other relevant bodies.

4. Take the necessary measures to ensure the involvement of civil society organizations in the work to curb the spread of underage marriage crimes and raise societal awareness of the prohibition of such practice .

Join Shadow Report to CEDAW Committe – En (1)

We hope for a safe life for girls.

Solidarity with us.