A 15-year-old girl was protected from being married in Egypt’s Dakahlia province after a child-protection body received a report on the day of her planned wedding, the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood said on Friday.
The council’s Child Helpline received information that the girl’s family was completing preparations for the ceremony in a village in the Belqas district. She had previously entered into an unofficial marriage contract with a young man from the village, according to the council.
A child-protection committee visited the family’s home and confirmed that preparations for the wedding were under way. The incident was referred to prosecutors, who summoned the girl’s family and took steps to prevent the marriage.
The girl’s father signed a pledge not to marry her before she reached the legal age, while officials recommended placing her temporarily in suitable social care until they could ensure the marriage would not be arranged later.
The girl will remain under follow-up by the local child-protection unit if she returns to her family, officials said, to ensure her safety and prevent any attempt to circumvent the law.
Egyptian law prohibits the official registration of marriage contracts involving anyone under 18.
