One in every four marriages in Turkey involves child bride: NGO

AYDIN – Doğan News Agency

The legal age for marriage in Turkey has been raised to 17 from 15, however many roups are calling to set the age to 18.

One out of every four brides is a child as families are increasingly applying to the court to change the date of birth of their daughters so that they can legally marry, warned an association of Turkish female lawyers May 4. “There is an increase of 94 percent in application to courts by families to show their daughters age older, in order to get marriage permit,” said Gülten Kaya, head of the female lawyers’ commission of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, during a meeting of the group in Kuşadası.

The legal age for marriage in Turkey has been raised to 17 from 15, however the commission members said that the limit should be increased to the majority age of 18.

Istanbul bar’s women commission head Nilüfer Ay said that the increase in the number of child brides showed the lack of awareness of women’s place in society.
 
Lack of shelters for women victim of violence
 
Ay also said that despite the enactment of a law on violence against women, shelters for victims existed in only 14 provinces out of 8. “So laws are not enough; Awareness should be raised,” she said.