Demands for tougher penalties against child marriage grow in Egypt

As child marriage spreads in Egypt, many observers and parliamentarians call for tougher penalties for anyone involved, while some believe that toughening penalties will not be a solution because there are many ways to circumvent laws.
An Egyptian doctor gives medical advice to girls about female genital mutilation during an awareness campaign in Giza, on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt, Feb. 18, 2020.
An Egyptian doctor gives medical advice to girls about female genital mutilation during an awareness campaign in Giza, on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt, Feb. 18, 2020. - Mohamed el-Shahed/AFP via Getty Images
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A correspondent in Egypt

CAIRO — A couple gets divorced every two minutes in Egypt, according to a report by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics that was revealed by the head of the agency, Maj. Gen. Khairy Barakat, during a TV interview broadcast on Aug. 12.

Several members of parliament attributed this phenomenon to the spread of early marriage or child marriage in the country.

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