Majority of respondents would support legislation preventing marriage of young girls
These are the findings from YouGovSiraj’s online Omnibus survey, conducted between the months of January and February 2010. 887 people in Saudi Arabia responded to the survey.
In the online Omnibus survey, respondents were asked about their views on girls in Saudi Arabia marrying at a young age. The majority (62%) of respondents say a minimum age for marriage should be set for women in Saudi Arabia, as opposed to 28% who do not agree.
"There is no minimum age for marriage in Saudi Arabia. It is not uncommon for men in their 40s and 50s to marry girls as young as 10 with the agreement that the husband doesn’t consummate until the girl reaches puberty. In sensitive matters such as these, online research is ideal for gathering the public’s views honestly and accurately and being able to do so in a matter of days with topical issues is very powerful. Creating a minimum age requirement for marriage could be a further step to not only protect women’s rights in Saudi Arabia, but also to promote more mature marriages which may potentially reduce the likelihood of divorce or dysfunctional marriages" says Iman Annab, CEO of YouGov Siraj.
Follow YouGov on twitter
