PARENTS can resort to legally selling their children to escape poverty, if child marriages are allowed to continue.

That’s the view of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam).

In a statement issued today, its chairman Razali Ismail said Putrajaya should be aware that child marriage is a human rights violation and disproportionately affects poor girls.

“If such practices are allowed to go on, parents can legally resort to selling their children, disguised in the form of a marriage, as a solution to poverty, treating children as mere commodities,” he said.

It was reported that a 44-year-old People’s Volunteer Corp (Rela) member had married a 15-year-old girl in July. The marriage was approved by the Kelantan shariah court.

The girl is the second wife of the father of two.

The teenager’s parents had consented to their youngest daughter’s marriage, saying that it was driven by the desire to help the girl escape poverty.

Razali said that this case confirms the ambiguities and shortcomings of the Standard Operating Procedure on child marriage to protect children.

“It now appears that poverty can also be a reason accepted by the shariah court to approve an application for marriage of an underage child.”

Razali said that the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development had failed to prioritise social protection programmes for poor children.

“Suhakam believes that poverty will continue so long as child marriage is allowed, and child marriage can also lead to an increase in violence against girls, higher maternal mortality rates, and an even wider educational gap between children from different economic and social backgrounds.”

He said that it’s imperative the ministry protect all children from exploitation and show total commitment in their protection by taking all necessary steps to outlaw child marriage. – September 18, 2018.