CAIRO — Egypt’s National Council for Women launched its campaign No to Underage Marriage on Oct. 15, in cooperation with the Ministry of Religious Endowments and Christian clerics. The campaign’s main objective is to curtail undocumented marriages of minors.

The campaign follows calls by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi Sept. 30 to impose measures against customary marriage of underage girls. “I was surprised that the number of married 12-year-olds was not low,” Sisi said during a ceremony marking the population census that took place in April.

Sisi wondered how these young girls can assume the responsibility of marriage and a household. “This is something that pains me and pains anyone with a real conscience who cares for their sons and daughters,” he said.

The phenomenon of customary marriage is common in Egypt, especially for minors in rural areas. Officials authorized by the Ministry of Religious Endowments draft customary marriage certificates for girls under the age of 18 without officially registering the marriage at the state registries, as the Egyptian Child Law bans marriage for girls under 18. When the girl reaches 18, the husband would register the marriage at the Ministry of Justice. This practice affects population growth, which has hit unprecedented levels. According to the April census, Egypt’s population has reached 104.2 million, including those living and working abroad, a rise of some 22 million in just 10 years.