The Echo of Silence

Although early marriage applies to both young girls and boys, the harsh reality of society indicates that the consequences and impacts of child marriage are much more severe for young girls. Official and government statistics in Iran show that annually tens of thousands of girls and boys under the age of 15 enter into marriage. The actual number of these children is higher than these statistics. Many of these families and men who have more than one wife in Iran do not register their marriages or the marriages of minors and keep them unregistered and hidden. This research, for the first time, comprehensively attempts to analyze and review the prevalence of child marriage in seven provinces of Iran, which have the highest percentage of such marriages, with an emphasis on the social and cultural factors that perpetuate the existence of child marriage in Iran. The logical reason for conducting this study is to present evidence, reveal the extent of the prevalence of this harmful practice in Iran, and assist government decision-makers, civil society, and social activists in focusing on supporting the human rights of girls in Iran.