12 Year old boy to Marry his 11 year old Cousin!

A 12-year-old Egyptian boy will marry his cousin, who is 11 years old, after the groom-to-be's father gave the couple's engagement his blessing at the wedding celebration of the groom-to-be's elder brother.


The father decided to 'double the joy' of the wedding by announcing the engagement of his younger son.
 Egyptian law forbids marriages for anyone under 18 and the decision for Omar, 12, and Gharam, 11, to marry has sparked outrage among activists. The father however says there was 'nothing inappropriate' about the couple, adding that it was only 'an engagement, not a marriage.


Photos of the young couple were published in local media which were met with anger.

With some claiming that it will only lead to an early marriage in which the girl will be deprived of equal chances to education, growth, and will isolate her from social spheres.'


  Omar's father brushed off any criticism, and said he 'is a free man and did nothing wrong'. 'Omar has always loved Gharam so much that he used to say he will marry her when they grow up before any other man asks for her hand in marriage when she is older,' he added.

                                       


 'They will get married when they reach the legal age.' He said both children acted 'beyond their years' and had 'strong feelings for each other' through Facebook and other social media and 'wanted to get engaged'.