Religious conservatives push to end girl-childhood at puberty
by Azra Naseem
Salafis and other religious conservatives in Male’ have openly begun pushing to have Maldivian girls declared women at puberty. This change would allow the marrying off of young children to other children or to older men, turning paedophilia into conjugal rights in the name of Islam.
The conservatives’ campaign has been launched opportunistically, on the back of the shocking news that a young girl of 11 gave birth at seven months last week.
kuda kujjaku vihaigen ulhey khabaru media thakun kiyamun eba dhey, namaves kuda kudhin maabandu vaakameh alhugandakah adhi engifa eh neh...
— Ali Rameez (@aliramyz) November 2, 2012
Media is reporting a child has given birth. But I have no knowledge that a child can give birth…
ey muslim kamah dhauwa kuraa meehunneyve! ALLAH ge shariath ga kujjaa boduvanee e kujjaa baalighu vumun, 16,18, 25 vegenneh nooneve.
— Ali Rameez (@aliramyz) November 2, 2012
Ey, you who claim to be Muslims! In ALLAH’s shariath a child becomes an adult when she has her periods, not when she’s 16, 18, 25