UNFPA in Egypt, in cooperation with the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood (NCCM), co-organized a roundtable discussion on the impact of social norms, religious misconceptions, and media discourse on child marriage.

UNFPA joined the discussion to strengthen protection principles, preserve girls’ dignity, and explore intersectional ways to influence social norms that fight against child marriage.

Key attendees included representatives from the Ministry of Social Solidarity, Dar al-Ifta, Al-Azhar, and the National Council for Women, the National Council for Human Rights and UNICEF. The event also drew members from the House of Representatives and civil society organizations, such as CARE, Save the Children, and the Egyptian Association for Comprehensive Development.

Participants emphasized that religious leaders play a crucial mediatory role in shaping community awareness about child marriage by balancing social norms and religious discourse. Dr. Sahar Al-Sonbati, the President of the NCCM, affirmed that by further religious awareness dismantling the need for child marriage, the health, psychological and social risks for girls can be combatted. 

To add to this, the NCCM had signed a cooperation protocol with Dar al-Ifta to review fatwas linked to children’s issues, aiming to reinforce protection principles and supporting children’s dignity. 

The NCCM established working groups to thoroughly review all existing manuals and strategies for combating child marriage. They aim to develop a comprehensive guide covering the legal, social, psychological, medical, human rights, and religious aspects of child marriage. 

Dr. Al-Sonbati also presented the ‘Ghazl Banat’ initiative, which tackles harmful social norms surrounding  child marriage. This national initiative focuses on social empowerment as the primary entry point for change. It targets mothers in high-risk families and girls under 18 while engaging the extended family as key partners in protection.

Germaine Haddad, UNFPA Representative in Egypt a.i., champions achieving true change for girls by working across multiple levels: the family, community leaders, religious institutions, and the media.

The roundtable concluded with key recommendations: issuing a unified, comprehensive manual with standardized terminology and enacting a law that criminalizes child marriage below the legal age. Other recommendations also included developing media messages aimed at combatting this harmful practice.