Southeast Turkey family directorate signs deal with tribe leaders to stop underage marriages

A family directorate in southeastern Turkey has signed a deal with four local tribe leaders in an effort to prevent underage marriages. The leaders signed on to say that they will talk with families to stop them from forcing their children into underage marriages.

Duvar English

Şanlıurfa Provincial Directorate of Family, Labor and Social Services has signed a deal with four tribe leaders in the province to help prevent underage marriages, news portal T24 reported on Nov. 27. 

The contract states that the tribe leaders will voluntarily discourage underage marriages, as well as forced marriages.

"There was an incident where a 14-year-old was forced to marry a man as his third wife. The child pressed charges and said 'save me,'" said Şanlıurfa Health, Labor and Social Services Director Hasan Bilici. "It was incidents like this that inspired the contract," he said. 

The director said that the tribe leaders had volunteered to help prevent underage marriages in their communities, as parents who were also married underage may not realize it's harmful. 

Bin Muhammad tribe leader İsmail Büyükaslan, Fitit tribe leader Mehmet Aygün, Kırvar tribe leader Ahmet Kırvar and İzol tribe leader Mehmet İzol signed the contract.