SVF held a public meeting in collaboration with the Environment Supporters Association - Khan Younis, on "Early Marriage ........ Causes and Solutions " on Sunday, February 21, 2010, attended by a number of graduates and women, and participated by Mr. Jaber Abu Zahir, social activist, who began by saying that early marriage has become a worrying phenomenon and must be addressed. He opposed other opinion, who believed that early marriage in Palestine is still within the normal range considering that early marriage is a negative phenomenon must be addressed and dealt with. On his part, he emphasized the negative effects of early marriage on woman and her husband, her children and her community. He pointed out that in addition to the health problems faced as a result of early pregnancy, early marriage also deprived woman of her right to learn and create good children, as it contributes to the extended period for the birth, which increases the number of births to these women.
About the reasons that drive parents to marry their daughters early, "said Abu Zaher it was due to several reasons including that it may be poor families consider young girl as an economic burden and believe that marriage is a necessary strategy for survival of their families alive, besides they think that early marriage provides protection for their daughters of sexual assault risks.
Mr. Abu Zaher concluded the meeting by saying that the ill-treatment is common in child marriages, moreover, the females who refuse to marry or who choose their partners against the wishes of parents are often punished or even killed by their families on so-called honor crimes. Mr. Abu Zaher called all authorities and concerned bodies on the need to address this phenomenon, also called civil society institutions to educate families about the risks of early marriage.
