News | 25 05 2020
Marriages at early ages are spread in different areas of Syria for various reasons, some of which are new and others old. However, the phenomenon has significantly increased during the years of war in Syria. As the marriage of underage girls has become common, sometimes it involves young men under the age of 18.
This report closely examines stories of underage girls whom Rozana met with in the areas controlled by the armed opposition in the countryside of Homs, central Syria, and who considered marriage as the only solution for a better life. After becoming mothers and facing the responsibility of these labels, with a lot of regret, the girls and their husbands realize that there is not much they can do.
Children give birth to babies
Sarah Ali (pseudonym) is a 14-year-old girl married to a young man who is only two years older than her.
Sarah, who did not realize the extent of the risk of getting married at this early age, told Rozana: "I was married at the age of 13, and after several weeks of marriage, I had my first baby. Our marriage was very fast, and in the blink of an eye I became a mother of a baby."
She added that she and her relatives did not expect that she would be pregnant at this age.
Sarah was not used to fear life’s hardships, as she says. Despite her young age, and hearing frightening and disturbing stories about marriage at an early age, she wanted to change her routine and to live a new life based on adolescent ideas thinking that marriage was the right saviour from poverty and distress.
Ahmad (pseudonym), Sarah’s husband, expressed his regret over his hasty marriage. He told Rozana: "I became a father of a child and I am still receiving my pocket money from my parents to this moment. I also did not complete my education and I do not have a job to improve my life."
Numbers are continuously increasing
According to the testimony of Sheikh Abdel Jalil Ahmad (pseudonym), one of the "clerics" who legally registers and fixes marriages within the Shari'a courts and security departments located in opposition-controlled areas, there has been an unprecedented increase in the number of marriages at early ages, as there were more than 500 total marriages in 2017, 70% of which were child marriages.
According to Abdel Jalil, these numbers have approximately been registered each year for nearly three years. Rozana pointed out that the average age of marriage in the region is now 15 years. The largest proportion of these marriages is usually for girls, with 60% girls and 40% young men.g
Combatants’ marriage ... Marriage of influence!
Walid al-Homsi (pseudonym) from the town of Talbiseh, north of Homs (central), 45 years old, allowed the marriage of his female nephew, his deceased brother’s daughter, while she has not reached adulthood yet. He said: "I have no daughters to fear for them, expect the 14-year-old daughter of my deceased brother." The fear of the current situation and the potential threats was the main motive which propelled him to allow her marriage at an early age, Walid tells Rozana.
He went on: "I was always waiting for the right moment to marry her off and shelter her in a safe place until she got married to a young man who lives in a remote place. I married her off to a Syrian Free Army fighter who lives in areas controlled by armed opposition forces in Daraa province (southernmost). I have always been waiting for this opportunity to see her as a wife of a Free Army fighter and to have someone to protect her in difficult times."
The cases of marriage of minor girls to fighters of armed opposition factions are the most common in the region. The marriage of Zainab (a pseudonym), who is a minor too, to a young man from a family known for its social influence in the region after most of its young men joined the armed opposition, is one example of similar marriage cases prevalent in Homs northern countryside.
"Many of the young men wanted to marry one of my daughters, but I refused at first because of their young age and I did not find the right person for my daughter yet," said Um Omar, one of the residents of the area, to Rozana.
“About five months ago, a young man from a large, well-known and wealthy family in the region, wanted to marry her. Most of his brothers fought with the armed opposition and have their own weapons to defend themselves in times of adversity,” added Um Omar. She said she never hesitated to agree to marry her 15-year-old daughter, especially as her daughter will enjoy the richness of this large family that is known at the level of the region.
Despite Um Omar’s repeated refusal of dozens of young men who had previously wanted to marry one of her daughters, she said her daughter's marriage was "like a huge burden which has been lifted off my shoulders," because of the large number of her daughters and her fear of unstable conditions in the northern Homs countryside.
Early age marriages continued to spread in northern Homs (centre) and in other parts of Syria. The social power of the young man's family, the extent to which their children were fighters of the armed opposition, as well as their material status were the main reasons behind early age marriage phenomenon. In addition, the parents' fear that their daughters will remain unmarried after they have grown old (girls who have passed a certain age and have not married are called "spinsters," which is a socially prevalent word that hold the girl responsible for not marrying), facilitated these marriages, as they consider marriage the best choice for the young girl.
Many of Homs countryside residents do not consider that their acceptance of their young girls’ marriage at this early age could have negative impact on their future in a life where they themselves are the decision-makers, with their own free will.
At a time when living conditions of war have negatively affected the lives of many young girls, families have also played a major role in driving them towards an unknown fate.
This report closely examines stories of underage girls whom Rozana met with in the areas controlled by the armed opposition in the countryside of Homs, central Syria, and who considered marriage as the only solution for a better life. After becoming mothers and facing the responsibility of these labels, with a lot of regret, the girls and their husbands realize that there is not much they can do.
Children give birth to babies
Sarah Ali (pseudonym) is a 14-year-old girl married to a young man who is only two years older than her.
Sarah, who did not realize the extent of the risk of getting married at this early age, told Rozana: "I was married at the age of 13, and after several weeks of marriage, I had my first baby. Our marriage was very fast, and in the blink of an eye I became a mother of a baby."
She added that she and her relatives did not expect that she would be pregnant at this age.
Sarah was not used to fear life’s hardships, as she says. Despite her young age, and hearing frightening and disturbing stories about marriage at an early age, she wanted to change her routine and to live a new life based on adolescent ideas thinking that marriage was the right saviour from poverty and distress.
Ahmad (pseudonym), Sarah’s husband, expressed his regret over his hasty marriage. He told Rozana: "I became a father of a child and I am still receiving my pocket money from my parents to this moment. I also did not complete my education and I do not have a job to improve my life."
Numbers are continuously increasing
According to the testimony of Sheikh Abdel Jalil Ahmad (pseudonym), one of the "clerics" who legally registers and fixes marriages within the Shari'a courts and security departments located in opposition-controlled areas, there has been an unprecedented increase in the number of marriages at early ages, as there were more than 500 total marriages in 2017, 70% of which were child marriages.
According to Abdel Jalil, these numbers have approximately been registered each year for nearly three years. Rozana pointed out that the average age of marriage in the region is now 15 years. The largest proportion of these marriages is usually for girls, with 60% girls and 40% young men.g
Combatants’ marriage ... Marriage of influence!
Walid al-Homsi (pseudonym) from the town of Talbiseh, north of Homs (central), 45 years old, allowed the marriage of his female nephew, his deceased brother’s daughter, while she has not reached adulthood yet. He said: "I have no daughters to fear for them, expect the 14-year-old daughter of my deceased brother." The fear of the current situation and the potential threats was the main motive which propelled him to allow her marriage at an early age, Walid tells Rozana.
He went on: "I was always waiting for the right moment to marry her off and shelter her in a safe place until she got married to a young man who lives in a remote place. I married her off to a Syrian Free Army fighter who lives in areas controlled by armed opposition forces in Daraa province (southernmost). I have always been waiting for this opportunity to see her as a wife of a Free Army fighter and to have someone to protect her in difficult times."
The cases of marriage of minor girls to fighters of armed opposition factions are the most common in the region. The marriage of Zainab (a pseudonym), who is a minor too, to a young man from a family known for its social influence in the region after most of its young men joined the armed opposition, is one example of similar marriage cases prevalent in Homs northern countryside.
"Many of the young men wanted to marry one of my daughters, but I refused at first because of their young age and I did not find the right person for my daughter yet," said Um Omar, one of the residents of the area, to Rozana.
“About five months ago, a young man from a large, well-known and wealthy family in the region, wanted to marry her. Most of his brothers fought with the armed opposition and have their own weapons to defend themselves in times of adversity,” added Um Omar. She said she never hesitated to agree to marry her 15-year-old daughter, especially as her daughter will enjoy the richness of this large family that is known at the level of the region.
Despite Um Omar’s repeated refusal of dozens of young men who had previously wanted to marry one of her daughters, she said her daughter's marriage was "like a huge burden which has been lifted off my shoulders," because of the large number of her daughters and her fear of unstable conditions in the northern Homs countryside.
Early age marriages continued to spread in northern Homs (centre) and in other parts of Syria. The social power of the young man's family, the extent to which their children were fighters of the armed opposition, as well as their material status were the main reasons behind early age marriage phenomenon. In addition, the parents' fear that their daughters will remain unmarried after they have grown old (girls who have passed a certain age and have not married are called "spinsters," which is a socially prevalent word that hold the girl responsible for not marrying), facilitated these marriages, as they consider marriage the best choice for the young girl.
Many of Homs countryside residents do not consider that their acceptance of their young girls’ marriage at this early age could have negative impact on their future in a life where they themselves are the decision-makers, with their own free will.
At a time when living conditions of war have negatively affected the lives of many young girls, families have also played a major role in driving them towards an unknown fate.