In a new twist to the controversy surrounding child marriage in the Kingdom, eyebrows have been raised in the region of Al-'Aridha in Jizan at the marriage of a 15-year-old schoolboy to an older cousin. Al-Watan newspaper reports that Jibran Bin Jaber Khabrani, who is still studying in a primary school, was married in an agreement contracted by his father. “My father forced me to marry my cousin two months ago,” Jibran said. “She's 16, a year older than me. Her father and mine agreed to a dowry of SR50,000, which will be paid in installments.” Jibran's father said he saw no points of contention in the marriage. “I've arranged for my son and his wife a suitable home to live in, and I will pay for my son's upkeep and studies until he obtains the highest qualifications he can,” Jaber said. “Marriage at this age is normal in our tribe and in these parts, the people here have been doing it for years and it hasn't caused any problems.” Jibran's new father-in-law says the same mistakes as others have made will not occur. “The marriage was contracted with the agreement of all sides, plus the promise from Jibran that he will continue his studies and won't abandon them prematurely to look for work as frequently happens when people marry at a young age,” Al
