Child Marriage in Arabia

After public outcry over the marriage of an 8-year-old to a 50-year-old, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Justice has vowed action:

"The justice ministry aims to put an end to arbitrariness by parents and guardians in marrying off minor girls', Justice Minister Mohammad Al Eisa told Al Watan newspaper, partially owned by members of the royal family...

"The minister's comments suggested the practice of marrying off young girls would not be abolished. The regulations will seek to 'preserve the rights, fending off blights to end the negative aspects of underage girls' marriage', he said.

"A court in the Saudi town of Onaiza upheld for the second time last week the marriage of the Saudi girl to a man who is about 50 years her senior, on condition he does not have sex with her until she reaches puberty."

If it continues to allow this practice, then what on earth is a reform supposed to consist of? Simply banning pedophile acts?

See also these statistics out of Yemen:

"Some 24.6 per cent of females get married when they are 10-14 years old, while 56 per cent of them get married when they are 15-19 years old, the report said...

"Some 48 per cent of females under 15 years old get married early, and about 45 per cent of males and females get married when they are about 10 years, the report said."

There is significant support in Yemen for raising the minimum marriage age to 17.