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Muslim Personal Law Reform Action Group

Muslim Personal Law Reform Action Group

Advocating for comprehensive reform of the Sri Lankan Muslim Marriage & Divorce Act (MMDA) & Quazi system.

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Unequal Divorce under the MMDA – Position Paper 4

December 10, 2020September 16, 2021 mplpreforms

This position paper is the fourth in a series of position papers analysing the recommendations in the report of the 2009 Committee Appointed to Recommend Amendments to the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA).

Download PDF Version of Position Paper in English

Sinhala and Tamil translations to be added shortly.

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The Muslim Marriage & Divorce Act (MMDA) of Sri Lanka

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C24Mj_WDs1k

Sri Lankan MMDA & Comparative Laws

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1M04qEvdgE&t=86s

Minimum age of marriage in Sri Lanka

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAVC1_bC8OA&t=2s

mplreforms

Muslim Personal Law Reform Action Group (MPLRAG) is advocating for reform of the Sri Lankan Muslim Marriage & Divorce Act (MMDA) & Quazi system.
We strongly urge the government to raise the minim We strongly urge the government to raise the minimum age of marriage to 18 years without exceptions under the MMDA, in order to establish a standard minimum age of marriage for all citizens, regardless of religion. The Sri Lankan government is responsible for establishing a standard minimum age of 18 years for all children, in order to protect child rights and promote education, health and wellbeing. Considering any exceptions to the minimum age of marriage as 18 fails to protect children. #18WithoutExceptions #ReformMMDANow
In January 2026, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) inv In January 2026, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) invited key stakeholders to make submissions on 5 areas of proposed reforms to the MMDA, and we responded! MPLRAG submissions justified: 1. Raising the minimum age of marriage to 18 years, without exceptions; 2. Recognizing a marriage as valid only with the signatures of both bride and groom, placed in the presence of the marriage registrar; 3. Strictly prohibiting polygamy, or permitting it only under specific conditions; 4. Establishing a Family Court system in the long-term, with a hybrid model operating in the interim; and 5. Removing restrictions on women holding official positions, including as Quazis and registrars. #ReformMMDAnow
After promising to end violence against women and After promising to end violence against women and protect the rights of all children, the incumbent government convened a Committee in late 2025 to review the long-pending MMDA Amendment Bill. A sign, perhaps, that change was finally on the horizon. As part of this process, the Ministry of Justice launched a public consultation from February to April 2026, inviting feedback on some of the most critical issues at the heart of the reform debate: The public has spoken. Now it's the Government's turn to act! 📣Join the conversation! Show your support. Post, repost, share content about the MMDA, and make your voice heard. Demand that there should be no more delays. It is time to ensure that the latest MMDA Amendment Bill ends discrimination and harm caused under the MMDA. #ReformMMDANow
Child marriage means: disrupted education, early p Child marriage means: disrupted education, early pregnancy health risks, lifestyle upheaval, and generational poverty. There can be NO EXCEPTIONS FOR ‘16 - 18' year olds. Girls who complete these exams unlock higher education, better jobs and more opportunities. Those who don't? Doors close fast. #18withoutExceptions #ReformMMDAnow #EndChildMarrriage
Age of consent DOES NOT EQUAL the Age of marriage. Age of consent DOES NOT EQUAL the Age of marriage. They serve completely different purposes. 🔹 Age of consent protects minors from sexual exploitation. It recognizes that young children cannot give informed consent to sexual activity. 🔹 Age of marriage is not only about capacity to take decisions about sex. It is the capacity to take a serious decision about a legal committment involving property rights, financial obligations, and institutional recognition. #18withoutExceptions #ReformMMDAnow #EndChildMarrriage
🔹 Sri Lankan law already sets a standard - 18 year 🔹 Sri Lankan law already sets a standard - 18 years for age of marriage (except for Muslim children). 🔹 The minimum age of 18 years recognizes that only persons 18 years and above are capable of taking a serious decision regarding the consequences of marriage - shared living and responsibilities, finances and property, having children etc. 🔹Currently, only Muslim children are excluded from this protection. This double standard must change and equal protection must be provided. #18withoutExceptions #ReformMMDAnow
Age of marriage is not just a family law matter, b Age of marriage is not just a family law matter, but first and foremost a child rights matter. For Sri Lankan Muslim children to be granted the same protections of the law as non-Muslim children, the same age of marriage as 18 without exceptions must apply to Muslims. The Sri Lankan law already sets the standard for the minimum age of marriage. There can be no double standards or exceptions when it comes to the rights of Muslim children. #18withoutExceptions #ReformMMDAnow
At MPLRAG we celebrate the many roles that Sri Lan At MPLRAG we celebrate the many roles that Sri Lankan Muslim women hold. Yet it's another Women's Day where Sri Lankan Muslim women continue to be denied basic rights under the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act. The irony and injustice is more apparent than ever before. We continue to stand firm for justice until the MMDA is reformed and fully implemented!
Confused about the minimum age of marriage in Sri Confused about the minimum age of marriage in Sri Lanka? Watch this! #marriage #childmarriage #srilanka
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