A rise in Muslim religious conservatism in Turkey has led to little girls as young as nine being married off.

Anne Aly, Labor MP and counter-terrorism expert, tells Chris Kenny the rights of women and children suffer when religious conservatism “impinges on politics”.

“In the case of Turkey, you have the religious director saying girls as young as nine can marry.

“The good news is there’s widespread opposition to this and a lot of people are speaking up against it.”

Ms Aly, who is herself a Muslim woman, says the rights of these children are being put second to their marriageability.

“Where you have lack of education and high levels of illiteracy, you have more women and children that are going to be vulnerable to these kinds of practices that go against their basic human rights.”

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