{"id":5441,"date":"2025-07-10T11:08:10","date_gmt":"2025-07-10T11:08:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/filter.watch\/english\/?p=5441"},"modified":"2025-07-10T11:08:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T11:08:10","slug":"investigative-report-may-2025-child-marriage-promotion-on-domestic-platforms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filter.watch\/english\/2025\/07\/10\/investigative-report-may-2025-child-marriage-promotion-on-domestic-platforms\/","title":{"rendered":"Digital Platforms Enabling Child Marriage in Iran\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Spouse-finding\" platforms have become a breeding ground for promoting child marriage. Platforms like \u201cAdam va Hava\u201d (i.e., Adam and Eve)\u00a0 and certain channels active on messaging apps like Eitaa and Telegram have long been publishing profiles of applicants under 18, and even under 13 years old. This is a significant shift, as most of these platforms previously required users to be at least 18 years old to create a profile.<\/span><\/p>\n

It appears that the age restriction for applicants has been removed on at least some of these platforms. For instance, investigations by Filterwatch reveal that nearly 17% of the profiles published on the \u201cAdam va Hava\u201d spouse-finding platform in the last six months belong to individuals under 18 years old.<\/span><\/p>\n

Child Marriage Advertisements Proliferate on \"Spouse-Finding\" Platforms<\/b><\/h4>\n

Under the <\/span>Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)<\/span><\/a>, every individual is considered a child until they reach the age of 18. Articles 19 and 24 of this very convention obligate governments to protect children from abuse, including early marriage.<\/span><\/p>\n

Global frameworks for children's rights include provisions specifically aimed at protecting children online. These include initiatives like \"Making the Internet Child-Friendly\" and \"Blocking Websites with Immoral and Inappropriate Content for Children.\" These measures aim to secure the best interests of the child, a concept that has achieved global consensus under the \"<\/span>Parental Control<\/span><\/a>\" addendum to the International Convention on the Rights of the Child.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Islamic Republic of Iran, however, has acceded to the Convention on the Rights of the Child with <\/span>reservations<\/span><\/a>. According to Article <\/span>1401<\/span><\/a> of the Civil Code, \"the marriage of a girl before reaching the full age of 13 solar years and a boy before reaching the full age of 15 solar years is contingent upon the permission of the guardian, provided the expediency [of the marriage] is determined by a competent court.\"<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite this, the \"Adam va Hava\" spouse-finding platform publishes profiles attributed to girls as young as 13 years old or even younger.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Loading...<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

These platforms also require users to fill out forms with questions that can be considered ideological interrogations. These include inquiries about political leanings, such as the degree of belief in the concept of Velayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist). Questions are also posed regarding adherence to religious tenets like prayer, fasting, and commitment to Islamic hijab.<\/span><\/p>\n

All users on these platforms, regardless of age, must answer all questions related to their political and religious beliefs to register.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Loading...<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Behind the Scenes: Child Marriage Promotion on \"Spouse-Finding\" Platforms<\/b><\/h4>\n

Some findings by Filterwatch indicate that not all profiles related to child applicants on these platforms are genuine. Certain profiles published on platforms like Adam va Hava or some Eitaa channels are created by their \"administrators\" to \"promote an Islamic-Iranian lifestyle\" and lower the age of marriage.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Maryam Sadri\", who worked as a \"facilitator\" at the \"Adam va Hava Center for Facilitating and Targeting Marriage through Authentic and Traditional Methods\" until a few weeks ago, explained to Filterwatch regarding the promotion of child marriage on this platform:<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Many of the posts published on the Adam va Hava website or in Eitaa channels are created by the staff of these platforms or the administrators of these channels to boost the number of visitors with an optimal age for marriage.\"<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

According to Maryam Sadri, starting in July 2023, by direct order of Hossein Asghari, the director of the Adam va Hava Platform, the publication of profiles for individuals under 18 was put on the agenda, framed as \"Islamic marriage and an Islamic-Iranian lifestyle.\"<\/span><\/p>\n

Sadri added that subsequently, not only were profiles of children under 18 accepted and published, but even those of girls as young as 13, which is the legal age of marriage for girls in Iran. She further stated that despite internal opposition within the organization, marriage facilitators were instructed to fabricate profiles with these specifications to promote \"timely marriage\" and artificially inflate the numbers of users in the 15-17 and 13-15 age groups.<\/span><\/p>\n

Filterwatch\u2019s investigation reveals concerning statistics regarding underage profiles on these platforms:<\/span><\/p>\n