The Center for Development and Continuing Education at  University of Basra organized a workshop on the phenomenon of early marriage

The aim of the workshop is to deliver a societal message to limit early marriage for minors.

The workshop, presented by the researcher Doaa Mohammed Khalifa included an introduction to early marriage, its causes and effects, the health and psychological effects, and the negative aspects of early marriage that has a disruptive effect on our society.

Early marriage can be defined or the general concept of early marriage can be clarified as marriage at an age that conflicts with the age of majority specified by law, which is 18 years, and can be explained in several ways.

The religious aspect cannot be considered a problem or a phenomenon, as it does not contradict Islamic law.

Either from the legal point of view, or from the point of view of the law, marriage before the age of (18) is considered a legal problem, but it is also punishable by imprisonment or a fine. Determining this age is not arbitrary, but is measured on the basis of the psychological, mental, rehabilitation and physical ability of individuals.

As for a societal point of view, cultures differ from one society to another, the societies that live in the city center or the educated societies, we find that they are against the idea of ​​early marriage, but rather they refrain from marrying a girl until she completes her studies. Although this issue may lead us into another issue that we are not dealing with, which is the problem of delay in marriage or spinsterhood.

In terms of time, we are today at the end of the year 2022 and on the verge of the year 2023,our time is different from the time of the Messenger, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family, and different from the sixties, seventies and eighties of the last century, when societal cultures and econimic side  differed.Sometimes, what drives parents to marry off their daughters at an early age is the economic side.

The problems of early marriage cause divorce.They have an impact on the family and children.Moreover, in the event of a large number of divorces, we fall into a problem or a new negative phenomenon in society.

As for the means of treatment, publishing educational seminars in the areas of villages, rural areas and popular areas to reduce this problem, urging the educational side and moving away from primitive methods, holding educational conferences for parents, or addressing these issues in the parents’ meeting.

In the end, the recommendation was necessary.It suggests reducing early marriage of minors, which has negative effects on the social fabric.