Read
this post authored by Ava Smith for some shocking statistics and the real
picture behind child marriage, a social menace that needs to be addressed all
around the world at the earliest.
The Gloomy Picture: Shocking Stats
about Child Marriage the World Over
The
United Nations states that by 2030, the count of girls being married off as
children (before they reach the marriageable age in their respective countries)
will cross 1.2 billion. That is more than one-seventh of the world’s population
right now. Are we ready to carry that kind of burden in our souls for the rest
of our lives?
Shocking
statistics from all around the world reveal the sad picture for the girls of
this generation. While the developed nations rest comfortably ensconced in the
privileges brought to them by education, awareness, and stringent law
enforcement practices, the ones from the not-so-developed areas of the globe
bear the brunt of age-old traditions and lack of alternative modes of living.
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Featured image used for
representative purposes only. Courtesy: Talk of the Town
Child marriage is legal in some countries
What’s
more, six
countries in the world do not have a specific minimum age for marriage for
boys and girls in their country. That makes it even more dangerous for the kids
growing up in those countries. The ones that do not have a minimum age limit
for getting married are:
1. Yemen
2. South Sudan
3. Somalia
4. Saudi Arabia
5. Gambia
6. Equatorial Guinea
Not
having a specific minimum age for marriage makes child marriage somewhat of a
legal occurrence in the countries mentioned above. That itself is atrocious
enough to sit up and take notice of what’s going wrong with the rest of the
countries that still cannot keep such a social evil in check despite having the
laws for it.
Looking
into the matter of child marriage across the world
Girls
in countries like Mozambique, Burkina Faso, Mali, Somalia and Bangladesh suffer
a cruel twist of fate when they have to get married way before the ideal time. Here
are some of the shocking statistics about child marriages that take place
around the world, every day.
® 7% of girls in the Middle East and
North Africa, 9% of girls in sub-Saharan Africa, and 14% of girls in South Asia
are married
off between the age of 15 to 19.
® 12 million girls are married off each
year before they reach 18 years of age. That estimate comes to around 23
underage girls getting married against their wills or wishes per minute. Yes,
you read that right. It is that grave a matter.
® The highest
percentage of child marriages take place in Niger (76%) followed by Central
African Republic (68%), Chad (67%) and Bangladesh (59%).
Causes
and consequences of child marriage
Child
marriage shows no signs of stopping. Children married off at tender ages not
only fall prey to disease and violence, but their childhoods are also marred by
the complications that life and society forces on them to tackle at such ages.
►
Causes of child marriage
The reasons that child marriage is
still prevalent all around the world are as follows –
(i) Poverty: Poverty is one of the leading causes of child marriage being
such a rampant practice in most Third World countries. The inability to sustain
the female members of the family becomes one of the leading causes to marry off
daughters at tender ages so that they can work in the fields and at home as
manual labour without charging additional wages.
(ii) Lack of education: The lack of education and awareness
about the consequences of early marriage (especially on the body and minds of
the children) also leads to child marriage. Most of the people living in areas
where child marriage is a common practice are not literate. They are not aware
of the dire consequences that their children face when married off before they
come of marriageable age.
(iii) Age-old traditions and norms: Societal norms and traditions sometimes
force the parents to indulge in child marriage because that is how it has been
for generations of girls before them.
(iv) Weak law enforcement: Child marriage continues to be a
growing menace in countries where the law enforcement agencies are lax. Poor
law enforcement ensures that the parents go scot-free even after committing a
‘crime' in the eyes of the law.
(v) Gender discrimination: Cultures that do not value females or
their worth in society, such as the sub-Saharan countries, tend to have high
rates of child marriage as well. Disrespecting their very right to live a life
of their choice, girls in such societies fall prey to the social evil that is
child marriage.
►
Consequences of child marriage
Coming to the implications of this
heinous practice, here are a few that can be gauged by social activists and
researchers. These apart, several other psychological and social problems may
arise from marrying off children before they are of age. The following are some
of the consequences of child marriage.
(i) Rise of illiteracy: Denied a right to education, girls all
around the world suffer from illiteracy because of being forced into marriages
early in their lives. They have to take up the household responsibilities and sometimes
have to work in the fields to assist their in-laws' families. Hence, they
rarely get a chance to acquire the skills of reading or writing.
(ii) Denial of human rights: When girls are forced into early
marriages, they are denied some fundamental human rights. These include the
right to education, the right to be protected from sexual abuse, rape and
exploitation, the right to enjoyment and leisure as well as a cultural life,
the right to not be separated from her parents against her will, and the right to
prospective employment, to name a few.
(iii) Victims of abuse: Girls trapped in child marriages end up
being the victims of sexual and mental abuse at the in-laws’ place and face
tremendous amounts of violence – both sexual and otherwise – all their lives.
(iv) Spread of HIV/AIDS: As a consequence of the lack of
awareness towards safer practices, girls who are married off as children quite
often become bearers of HIV/AIDS or other STDs. This leads to a whole community
and generations of children being affected by incurable diseases, causing more
problems for the future of healthcare and sustainability.
(v) Early motherhood consequences: Forced into early marriages, girls not
only have to take on household responsibilities at a tender age, but also have
to bear children right after they hit puberty. Let’s face it, their bodies are
not prepared for the child-bearing function at such ages. As a consequence,
they develop severe pregnancy and post-natal complications that have a
long-term effect on their bodies.
The
future of millions of girls is at stake here. If we choose to look the other
way while countries in the Middle East, sub-Saharan regions and South-East Asia
continue with the malpractice of child marriage, then we are simply no better
than the people who are guilty of the act itself. By signing petitions, urging
the United Nations and respective governments to take action, or by helping an
organisation fighting against child marriage, we can do our bits towards
ensuring a brighter and happier world for the girls to come. It is high time
that we pledge to let all girls have a chance at living life in their own
terms, and give wings to their dreams.
About the Author:
Ava
Smith provides prompt
essay help at MyAssignmenthelp.com for students in Australia. Based
in Brisbane, Being as a former social studies professor I am one of the most
sought-after assignment help on board
MyAssignmenthelp.com. Apart from helping students overcome academic hurdles and
writing enriching blogs, I also enjoy baking.