* Ahmed Al-Qurashi
When we receive a report about a minor about to be married off by her family, and after investigating the case, protection specialists uncover some unpleasant facts:
1. The entire family consents.
2. There is no male guardian (a close male relative) who can provide her with care and protection should her need it.
3. The state does not have shelters or care facilities available should such cases require housing and care.
4. The girl herself consents and wants to get married. (Even if her consent is not legally valid)
5- There is no national law that sets a safe age for marriage.
What can we do as a human rights organization in such circumstances?
I pose this question to clarify the situation for colleagues who launch advocacy campaigns and tag me and other protection specialists on Facebook without understanding the circumstances and dimensions of the case, or even considering the potential consequences of their emotionally charged campaigns.
For us, intervening in such sensitive cases is like walking through a minefield. Therefore, we strive to protect ourselves from becoming pawns in the hands of those driven by emotion or other parties to conflicts, some of whom seek to use us against their adversaries as soon as they find an opportunity they believe is opportune to strike.
Our primary mission at the Siyaj Organization is to protect the child victim in a way that serves their best interests and shields them from any complications that could harm their life, safety, or human dignity.
Defending children’s rights is not an emotional matter to be undertaken impulsively, especially in cases involving the family and parents, and where the child’s fundamental and best interests are at stake. It is a delicate process that requires vigilance and caution to ensure the child’s best interests are served and to protect them from any complications arising from emotional outbursts that fail to grasp the implications and consequences of what some people post and advocate on social media.
Okay. Let’s say we object to the marriage of a 15-year-old girl under the circumstances you described. Then, if we challenge her family and manage to win the case, the victim will be unable to continue living in the family home. Who will care for her? Who will provide her with protection, care, and security? And where will she go after the ill-considered outburst ends?
One of our most important duties as a child protection organization is to seek the best possible options that guarantee the child’s rights.
* Head of the Siyaj Organization
