The All Women’s Action Society (Awam) is appalled to learn of the recent cases of child marriages surfacing just days after International Women’s Day.

The forced marriage of girls below the age of consent is a gross violation of many international human rights treaties that Malaysia has ratified.

Given that some patriarchal assumptions underpinning the institution of marriage persist, in which husbands assume certain entitlements over their wives - physically or otherwise - it is safe to assume that a whole host of abuses are likely to happen to these girls.

Furthermore, women who marry young are less likely to pursue further education, perpetuating economic dependency and gender inequalities within marriage.

Although facts of these recent cases are vague and the legality of these marriages are indeed questionable, nevertheless marriage of adolescents aged between 10 and 14 years is a problem in Malaysia.

According to a report in a local daily in 2002, there were 10,600 such marriages, most of them girls.

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw), which Malaysia has ratified, specifically prohibits child marriage under Article 16 (2).

Although Malaysia has placed reservations on this article, the government is legally required to take steps to remove these reservations and ensure these discriminatory practices are prohibited, including those practiced on cultural or religious grounds.

And we further call for greater public discussion on matters of public interest such as marriage and family and the streamlining of all related legislation.

The writer is president, All Women's Action Society (Awam).