CEDAW concluding observations 2019, paragraph 60
Plain English recommendation
Government should: (a) Ensure the law provides for ‘no-fault’ divorce and introduce a requirement that all religious marriages, including Islamic marriages, are registered with the appropriate civil authority. (b) Take further action to combat forced marriage, including improving awareness among parents that their daughter must give full and free consent to her marriage (in line with advice issued by the UN on forced marriage), and consider reducing the costs faced by victims who have been taken abroad for a forced marriage and wish to return to the UK.
Original UN recommendation
The Committee recommends that the State party: (a) Ensure that the new legal requirements for divorce provide for “no-fault” divorce and introduce an obligation for the celebrant of religious marriages, including Islamic marriages, to civilly register such marriages. (b) Strengthen efforts to combat forced marriages, including by sensitizing parents on the need for full and free consent of their daughter to her marriage in line with article 16, paragraph 1 (b) and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 21 (1994) on equality in marriage and family relations, and consider alleviating costs for repatriation of victims.
Date of UN examination
26/02/2019
UN article number
1 (definition of discrimination), 2 (elimination of discrimination against women), 16 (economic consequences of marriage, family relations and their dissolution)
Original UN document
Download the CEDAW concluding observations 2019 on the UN website