“In our sermons, we always urge young people to refrain from early marriage and to fulfil
this obligation at the stage defined by law, while also being physiologically and physically
mature” - says Adam Shantadze, Mufti at the Administration of Muslims of All Georgia.

As he says, in all religions, including Islam, marriage and family are very important,
and when a person reaches adulthood, they are religiously allowed to marry.

According to Georgian law, marriage before the age of 18 is prohibited without any
exceptions. Early marriage is defined as a union between two individuals, where at least
one of them is under 18 years old. Because a person under 18 is still a child,
it is implied that they cannot make informed decisions.

However, despite this, the harmful practice of early/child marriage remains a
challenge in Georgia and around the world, grossly violating human rights due to deeply
rooted social norms, endangering the health of girls and, in some cases, their lives.

“Islam’s primary obligation and duty is to spread knowledge and educate, which
obliges both sexes, female and male, to acquire knowledge. This means they must study
at school and receive secondary education ” - says Rezo Mikeladze, Deputy Mufti at the
Administration of Muslims of All Georgia.

According to his explanation, until an adolescent finishes school, they should not get married, as doing so would hinder the fulfilment of the obligation of learning, i.e., receiving education.

“Our tradition does not allow early marriage. We always recommend that people
continue their studies not only at the basic level, but also at higher levels, before
getting married” - notes Rezo Mikeladze.

He also says that, a fundamental decision of starting a family is performed consciously: 

“Without raising public awareness, laws alone cannot regulate the situation.”

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), together with its partners, is working
against the harmful practice of early marriage so that adolescent girls have the
opportunity to live in a healthy, safe environment, receive education, play, dream, and
make informed decisions about their lives when they become adult women.

Since 2016, UNFPA, in cooperation with the “Union Century 21st” and, with the
support of the European Union, has been working with representatives of various
religions to raise awareness about domestic violence, early marriage, and harmful
practices against women and girls in Georgia.

“Religious leaders enjoy great trust and influence in their communities. Their willingness
to work with young people and their families, together with the UNFPA is very encouraging for us” - says Eter Nogaideli, project analyst at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Early marriage has serious consequences for girls, often leading to their social and legal
exclusion and preventing them from receiving quality and complete education. Pregnancy and childbirth in adolescence put the health of both mothers and their children at risk. Therefore, in order to eliminate the harmful practice of early marriage, it is essential to cooperate with all sectors of society, including religious leaders, who - through their influence and teachings - can lead to real change.

The web story was prepared in the framework of the “EU 4 Gender Equality: Together against gender stereotypes and gender-based violence" (Phase Two) programme, funded by the European Union, implemented jointly by UN Women and UNFPA.