Married by Exception: Child marriage policies in the Middle East and North Africa

Legal and policy measures that prevent and prohibit child marriage are a key approach to protecting girls from being married before they are ready. To better understand how child marriage laws protect girls affected by crisis in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Save the Children undertook comprehensive desk research and consulted with adolescent girls and boys and young adults from refugee and local communities in Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon and Turkey. In April 2021, Save the Children spoke to 123 adolescents and young adults about their knowledge of child marriage laws in their country context, their views on whether these laws help protect girls from child marriage and, if not, what they think needs to change.