December 23rd, 2020
Writer: Arta Anindita
Editor & Picture: Gabrielle Pascal
Child Marriage: The Reasons, Facts and Impacts of Child Marriage by GirlUp IWO
The Reasons, Facts and Impacts of Child Marriage – Child Mariage are practices that wed underage children. The age of child marriage is under age 18 and some facts said that child marriage can happen in earlier age 15. Even with the moral implications of these practices, there are health risks as well:dangerouscomplications in pregnancy and childbirth, contracting HIV/AIDS, domestic abuse, etc. These young girls are stripped of their chances for an education and to choose if or who they want to get married to in their futures.
Why do child marriages happen?
There are many reasons, such as cultural traditions, socio economic states, and religious laws. Child marriage often occur in Sub-Sahara Africa. It can happen to young boys and girls, but it occurs in the latter more often. Below, there is more data about this issue:
Notes: Estimates are based on a subset of 91 countries covering 77 per cent of the population of women aged 20 to 24. Regional estimates represent data covering at least 50 per cent of the regional population. Data coverage was insufficient to calculate regional estimates for East Asia and Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and North America.
Source: UNICEF Data Monitoring The Situation of Childern and Women Based on UNICEF global databses, 2020, based on DHS, MICS and other national surveys, 2013-2019 (Accesed in December 23rd,2020).
The statistic shows that West and Central Africa have the the highest levels (13%), second is Sub Sahara Africa (11%) and the lowest is Middle East and North Africa (3%). At this moment, the number of marriages have globally decreased, but there are still 12 million marriages per year. An estimated 115 million boys are married before age 18 years old. In South Asia, child marriage has declined by more than a third from nearly at 50% a decade ago to 30% today, especially in India. Furthermore, the global burden of child marriage is shifting from South Asia to Sub-Sahara Africa (Read also: Child Marriage Latest Trends and Future Prospects).
A reason why these practices still happened is because many families believe that marriage will secure their daughter’s future. However, this form of thinking is what takes away the future of these girls. They are put into a domestic position and motherhood , without education or the chance to choose a career. Below is an ilustration of the consequences of child marriages (Research by MAMPU and University of Melbourne, 2020):
Source: www.mampu.or.id (Accessed in December 23rd, 2020)
Let see that ilustration, here we discuss about it. The data shows that 1 of 12 men in Indonesia married before age 19 can expect a lower quality of life. The example brings Ahmad marries earlier and Fajar waits a bit longer. Ahmad married when he was age 17, Fajar married when he was age 24. Fajar has about 1.8 more years of education than Ahmad, Ahmad is about 15% less likely works in the formal sector. Ahmad earns 20% lower than Fajar in every hours he works, Fajar is more likely satisfied in his life than Ahmad. Another thing, Ahmad is more than twice as likely to get divorce and almost simillar story also on girl’s side on that illustration.
We need to see clearly the cause lists firstly, then we continue to discuss about recomendation that possible can work.
A. Challanges:
Poverty, sometimes when parent do not want or cannot pay for their children’s education, marriage becomes an option.
Gaps in laws and enforcement.
Customary Practices, religious beliefs, traditions or cultural practices can contribute to child marriages as well. Families can see their daughters as economic assets whose marriages provide cattle, home, car, money or other gifts (Further information: Ending Child Marriage in Africa)
There are inequality between boys and girls.
Younger wives are considered to be more obedient.
Laws protecting girls aren not enforce (Further information: Child Marriage)
B. Recommendations:
Increasing awareness of children's right such of from community, education or parents.
We can also support girls to become educated and independent.
Educate families about sexual and reproductive health.
Making a proper age of marriage age to 18 and protect children from earlier marriage (Further information: Child Marriage)
Demand Governments to give opportunities to increase children skills, such as training to become a tailor, selling foods, technology and so on.
When 12 million of girls marry before age 18 each year, it means in every 2 seconds. We need to act now, because if not, more than 150 million girls will become child brides in 2030.It’s not a right way for the younger generations to get a better life and happiness. Child marriage is a egregious practice in humanity. UNICEF For Every Child (2018) reports that the practice of child marriage has declined around the world. The proportion girls who married as a children decreased 15% , from 1 in 4 (25%) approximately 1 in 5 (21%). So let’s keeps going and stop child marriage for a brighter future.
Additional Informaton that you can also read: Child Marriage , At UNICEF, we believe that child marriage is a form of violence against children. Our aim is to avert 500,000 child marriages in the region by 2021
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