Child marriages in india the red elephant foundation december 20 e 4 introduction child marriage refers to the marriage of a child younger than 18 years old,1 in accordance to article 1 of the convention on the right of the child. Some of the causes of early marriage in nigeria include conflict, poverty, religion, and tradition. A situation report on child marriages in zambia world. Child spouses in 2001, exploring both the reasons behind the perpetuation of child marriage and its harmful impact. Early marriage makes completing education almost impossible for girls the relationship between child marriage and educational attainment for girls is also strong. In addition, nguyen and wodon 2012c also show that if child marriage and early pregnancies could be eliminated, this could potentially reduce the gender gap in education by about half. Despite being prohibited by international law, it continues to rob millions of girls under 18 around the world of their childhood. Child marriage is a human rights violation and a practice that undermines efforts to promote sustainable development.
More than 700 million women and over 150 million men alive today were married too young, onethird of them before age 15. Child marriage is related to child betrothal, and it includes civil cohabitation and court approved early marriages after teenage pregnancy. At this site, girls and young women face a heightened risk of early or forced marriage as well as other forms of genderbased violence. Although the age of majority legal adulthood and marriageable age are usually designated at age 18, both vary. Early marriage and forced marriage is most common in subsaharan africa where 38% of girls become child brides. A couple who married at an early age and lives happily is like a needle in a haystack. From the research it is concluded that one cannot generalize all underlying causes of child marriage, but one must be aware of the specific. The terms of discussion affect our understanding of child marriage. Girls in households where boys are favored often have low selfesteem and little confidence.
Child marriage is most common in rural areas 100 80 50 10 90 60 20 70 30 40 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 rural urban child marriage is more common in rural areas child marriage is more common in urban areas togo suriname ghana guyana peru senegal nigeria 15. This condition limits the opportunities for women to get education and. Wpf and iheu therefore urge all governments to end child marriage. Sep 10, 2015 zambia has one of the highest child marriage rates in the world with 42% of women aged 2024 years married by the age of 18. According to research, girls younger than 15 years old are five. Young girls who become child brides experience negative psychological effects as a result. Child, early, and forced marriage globally, the rate of child marriage is declining,8 but the rate of progress is not fast enough. Among girls growing up in south asia, 30% experience early marriage, compared with 25% in latin america and the caribbean.
The causes, consequences and solutions to forced child. Forced child marriage is a lifechanging reality for many of the worlds girls. In industrialized countries, few women marry before age 18. Child marriage unfpa united nations population fund.
Many factors interact to place a child at risk of marriage, including poverty, the perception that marriage will provide protection, family honor, social norms, customary or religious laws that condone the practice, an inadequate legislative framework and the state of a countrys civil registration system. Even though boys can be victims of child marriage, the consequences are less. This harmful practice can expose girls to violence, unintended pregnancy and unsafe abortion, denying them their basic rights to childhood, with damaging impact on their education, health and economic prospects. Early child marriage in nigeria child marriage customs, a situation whereby children are given into marriage well before they attain puberty occur all over the world particularly in africa, asia, and south america. A world without child marriage where girls and women enjoy equal status with boys and men and are able to achieve their full potential in all aspects of their lives. Current rates in developing countries mean that 1 in 3 girls are married by age 18 and 1 in 9 are married by age 15. If the present trend continues, 100 million girls will marry over the next decade. Most will be in subsaharan africa and the asian subcontinent nepal, india, pakistan, bangladesh. Child marriage prevention as a deliberate objective in programs. In actuality, child marriage is a violation of human rights, com promising the development of girls and often resulting in early pregnancy and social isolation. Early marriage is used to refer both formal marriage and informal unions in which a girl lives with a partner as if married before age of 18,early marriage also known as child marriage is defined as any marriage carried out below the age of18 years before the girl is physically, physiologically.
Early marriage resulting in early motherhood means placing both the young mother and her baby at risk. Every year approximately 14 million girls are married as children across countries, cultures, religions and ethnicities. Child, early and forced marriage is a gross human rights violation which puts girls at risk of violence and ill health, denies them the opportunity to fully contribute to their societies and keeps them locked in a state of poverty. Sadly, as this digest makes clear, the practice of early marriage gives no such cause for celebration. A perspective article pdf available in international journal of scientific and engineering research 77. Early child marriage violates the childs right to education. Forum on marriage and the rights of women and girls 2001. In the least developed countries, that number doubles 40 per cent of girls are married before age 18, and 12 per cent of girls are married before age 15. In the united states, child marriage is still permissible in some states, with parental or judicial consent. In the last decade, child marriage has affected 58 million girls, many of whom were married against their will and in violation of international laws and conventions. Some as young as 8 or 9 are forced to trade their childhoods for a life that can be defined by isolation, violence and illness. Early marriage, age of menarche, and female schooling attainment in bangladesh. Ending child marriage would generate large welfare benefits through a reduction in population growth, helping to usher in the demographic dividend. Addressing early marriage of young and adolescent girls girls in many resourcepoor countries often have little choice about whom or when they marry.
The term early marriage is used to refer to both formal marriages and informal unions in which a girl lives with a partner as if married before age of 18 unicef 2005. In most cases, early marriages are not good for both sides of the relationships. Early marriage is used to refer both formal marriage and informal unions in which a girl lives with a partner as if married before age of 18, early marriage also known as child marriage is defined as any marriage carried out below the age of18 years before the girl is physically, physiologically. A violation of human rights child marriage is a violation of human rights. A theory of change on child marriage girls not brides. The main thrust of this paper is that early marriage is a violation of fundamental human rights and that both state and non state actors must be held accountable under international treaty obligations to combat early child marriage. To keep the traditions preserved is one of the primary tasks in many african countries. Child, early and forced marriage has significant negative impacts on the futures of children, particularly girls. Common issues brought up were that child marriage is needed as an option in. Early marriages often include some elements of force, otoooyortey and pobi 2003 the lack of an overarching definition of early marriage. According to an assessment conducted by unicef in 2005, among women ages 15 to 24, 48 percent were married before the age of 18 in south asia, 42 percent in africa, and 29 percent in latin america.
Dowry the money the brides family pays to the groom is a big factor in child marriage. In many countries where child marriage is widespread, girls are often seen as economic burdens. Rates are 17% in the middle east and north africa, and 11% in eastern europe and central asia. Early marriage is a violation of children s human rights. Handbook on the prohibition of child marriage act, 2006. Child marriage in africa often ends a girls education, exposes her to domestic violence and grave health risks from early childbearing and hiv, and traps her in poverty, human rights watch. Each of the factors connected to early and child marriage cannot be understood in isolation. According to the international center for research on women icrw, 100 million girls will be married before the age of 18 in the coming decade. Addressing early marriage of young and adolescent girls. Zimbabwe has committed to eliminate child, early and forced marriage by 2030 in line with target 5. Child marriage essay introduction causes impact imp days. Ending child marriage in a generation ford foundation. Child marriage impedes girls education the education a girl receives is the strongest predictor of the age she will marry, according to icrw analysis in 18 of the 20 countries with the highest prevalence of child marriage.
Early marriage, age of menarche, and female schooling attainment in bangladesh the harvard community has made this article openly available. Child marriage is a marriage or similar union, formal or informal, between an adult and a child under a certain age, typically age eighteen. They contract a marriage due to the customs inherent to their ancestors. It is one of the causes which affect the lives of young girls. Preventing and eliminating child, early and forced.
For unifpa 2006 early marriage, also known as child. Marrying off a girl child at an early age contravenes human rights and. The child can be a girl or a boy, but the large majority of child marriages are between a girl and a man, and are rooted in gender inequality. Over the past five years or so, for example, the discussion has favored child marriage over early and forced marriage, to underscore the fact that girls often agree to early marriage because they lack education, resources or. In this article it is reinforced that, consequences of child marriage put the girls at risk of early pregnancies with lifethreatening conditions. In most of the countries the minimum legal age for the child marriage is 18 years. Despite laws against it, the practice remains widespread. Child marriage is a global problem, but it is particularly widespread in african and indopacific countries. Early marriage is very likely to occur among girls who are poor, have low levels of education, and live in rural areas 3. Current rates in developing countries mean that 1 in 3 girls are married by age 18 and 1 in 9 are married. Pdf this article analyses trends in early marriage in turkey over a.
Child marriage is one of the biggest human rights violations in the world. Forced and early marriage is a form of culturallyjustified violence against women as well as a violation of human rights that is endemic in many countries. The causes, consequences and solutions to forced child marriage. The impact of early marriage taking action the need for research in conclusion links references innocenti digest no. In simple terms, child marriage is the marriage of a person aged before majority. Introduction marriage before the age of 18 is a reality for many young women. However some countries allow marriages at 16 years as well, especially for the girl children. Child spouses this digest focuses on early marriage the marriage of children and young people under the age of 18 from a human rights perspective. First of all, if you ask a question if it is legal to force children into marriage, it is actually not legal according to the child s rights act of 2003, where it is pointed out that the age of consent for a child is 18 years old. Early motherhood is one of the most adverse effects of child marriage and often leads to the death of the young mother during child birth. Child marriage also occurs in parts of the middle east, including yemen and the rural maghreb. Introduction child marriage refers to any marriage of a child younger than eighteen years old, in accordance to article 1 of the convention of the right of the child. Too young, mentally and physically to become a mother, early motherhood puts the health of the mother and child in danger. Owing to the above facts, early child marriage has currently become a vital topic of discussion amongst several development platforms which has made it more visible to many that were unaware of its existence.
Ending child marriage and meeting the needs of married. Over the past five years or so, for example, the discussion has favored child marriage over early and forced marriage, to underscore the fact that girls often agree to early marriage because they lack education, resources or other options for their lives. Globally, one in every five girls is married, or in union, before reaching age 18. Marriage before the age of 18 is a fundamental violation of human rights. Empowerment programs for young girls are key to preventing early marriages by improving their selfefficacy. Each day, 25,000 girls are married and an anticipated 100 million girls. However, the main negative influence falls on the young girls who are married off at tender ages.
Nigeria has committed to eliminate child, early and forced marriage by 2030 in line with target 5. Solutions to end child marriage healthy newborn network. Early marriage denies girls their right to make vital decisions about their sexual health and wellbeing. Your story matters citation field, erica, and attila ambrus.
The study aimed at asses the factors which contribute to early marriage among teenagers, it was to gather information on the extent, magnitude and consequences of early marriages in ubungo municipality, as a basis for raising awareness on how. Although child marriage has declined by 25% from 41. Child marriage, defined as marriage of a child under 18 years of age, is a silent and yet widespread practice. It lead to increase in the rate of infant mortality and maternal mortality and birth of babies who have low birth weight, malnutrition and anaemia.
In niger, for example, 77% of women in their early 20s were married as children. Jan 08, 2019 early child marriage in nigeria child marriage customs, a situation whereby children are given into marriage well before they attain puberty occur all over the world particularly in africa, asia, and south america. Getting married before reaching at this minimum legal age is not only illegal but also against. In most cases young girls get married off to significantly older men when they are still children.
Each day, approximately 37,000 girls under age 18 are married. In many parts of the world parents encourage the marriage of their daughters while they are still children in hopes that the marriage will benefit them both financially and socially, while also. People worry that the older a girl is, the more they will have to pay, so they marry girls early. Child marriage can be considered a form of forced marriage because children are unable. Girls with low levels of schooling are more likely to be married early, and child marriage. In fact, child marriage has become more common in some areas. People who wed young also face domestic violence and other types of abuse within a marriage, according to childinfo. The digest provides guidelines towards ending the practice of child marriage through changing attitudes within families and societies, expanding opportunities for education, offering appropriate support to. According to the 2014 zdhs, child marriage affects more girls than boys child marriage in zambia. Today, over 60 million marriages include girls under the age of 18 years. Early marriage, age of menarche, and female schooling. Marriages that are bound by love are satisfying, but allowing a child to marry early has consequences. Bangladesh, the p ercentage of women married before they turn 18 is 65%, followed.
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