Child marriage is one of the most severe violations of human rights that needs attention in India, “where 46 percent of children are married formally or in informal union before they are 18.” While child marriages affect both genders, girls are affected a lot more since they are a bulk of the victims. They are more likely to be involved in child marriages than boys as 30 percent of girls between 15-19 are currently “married”, while only 5 percent of boys between 15-19 are “married”. So why do child marriages exist when families know that the social, economic and human risks are so elevated? The answer is in India’s deep roots in tradition, culture and religion. In India, these wedding are now illegal due to the Prohibition of Child …show more content…
If the children are girls, they are viewed as “an economic burden” to their family until they are married off. Child marriages are cause by the economics that come with marriage, sexuality, gender norms, educational gaps, and age.
Child marriage impacts not only the children’s lives, but also of those around them. Especially these young girls that are married off young, before their minds and bodies reach full maturity, become pregnant before they are even ready. In fact, “child marriage also reinforces the gendered nature of poverty, with limited education and skills bringing down the potential of the girl, her family, her community and her country.” These marriages become a sort of economic deal between the families of the bride and the groom. The family of the bride is passing this burden to the marital family, who then expects a dowry for taking the burden that is this young girl from them. The young girl is then forced to do unpaid household work, while the rest of the family have paid employments. Also, women’s sexuality is controlled “in order to limit inheritance of wealth and maintain caste purity.” “Marriage is considered to be ‘safe’ to keep the girl protected from unwanted sexual advances; without such security, a girl who is unmarried and no longer a virgin, is considered to ruin the family reputation.” This places a high value on the young women’s virginity, even that a forced sexual encounter leaves a
In the article, Child Marriages in Sub-Saharan Africa, states the reasons and crazy expectations of child marriages. In Sub-Saharan Africa 39% of girls are married before the age of 18. Child marriages has spread throughout all of Africa. In West and Central Africa 42% of girls are married before age 18 and in Eastern and Southern Africa it is 36% of the girls (Child Marriages in: Sub-Saharan Africa). These number vary throughout the year yet they never drop to zero. It is a mass dilemma to outsiders yet in the depth of Africa, it a tradition that is hard to break. Daughters may be married off due to poverty or fear of safety. It is a custom in which the daughter does not have much control and marriage can be used as a leverage in a heated
Kingston, many girls are forced into marriages by being told it is the right thing to do. In summary, underage arranged marriages are very dangerous and unfair to the children who are placed under those circumstances while they haven’t even reached the capacity to comprehend what they want.
Girls all over the world are forced into marriages due to financial necessity, tradition and to ensure their future. Most of these girls married are at a young age: “One third of the world’s girls are married before the age of 18 and 1 in 9 are married before the age of 15”( “Child Marriage Facts and Figures”). The young ages of those being married reveal how crucial it is to resolve this problem. When child marriage occurs the parents of the bride usually chose the groom for their daughters; and these grooms can be three times older than the young brides. Some children are brought into the world of marriage at the of 8 or sometimes less depending on their cultural views. The following can be used to help reduce the impact of early
Women’s need to conform to cultural discrimination under the pressure of society and family to choose boys over girls contributes to the beginning of the gendercide cycle. The violence against females never stops; it is a constant battle against females throughout their lives. There are many causes of this violence that create a never ending cycle. One of the major causes is cultural discrimination. In Indian culture, the boy is valued more than a girl mainly “because parents look to their sons to support them in old age” rather than their daughters (FAQ). According to tradition, once daughters are married, “they do not care for their own parents, but rather their husbands’ parents” (ibid). Therefore, society sees more value in a male over a female. A male can support his family more than
Child marriage is one of the major concerns when it comes to women in undeveloped countries. Many of them are married off at a very young age. Education gives a woman the power to make their own decisions and gives them an identity. By marrying of at a young age many are forced to start a family and live under someone else’s authority. Lack of education limits freedom and the basic knowledge of living which now
The opposition of early marriage believed that early marriage denies the right of young adolescents especially for female to the education they postulate for self-development. In traditional societies, the investment for a girl’s education is thought to be wasted as the girl is going to marry and stay at home doing household chores (UNICEF, 2001). For instance, Demographic Health Survey data collected from Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan had shown a clear link between marriage and withdrawal from school (UNICEF, 2001). A girl will drop out from school, if a good marriage prospect arises (UNICEF, 2001). Because of the early end of female education, they will have constricted chances of enhancing skills and acquiring knowledge,
When one thinks of marriage, they think of two adults being in love and deciding to spend the rest of their lives together. To most, marriage is a choice, but according to the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), one third of the girls, under the age of eighteen, in the world marriage is not all they would have dreamt of. All around the world girls under the age of eighteen are getting married. Girls are getting married to strangers, to men drastically older than them and also unwillingly. This can be and is extremely dangerous. A person under the age of eighteen should not be allowed to marry simply because they are not mature nor developed enough to handle adult situations. These girls are having to be put in situations that they do not understand how to solve. Ending child marriage requires work across all sectors and at all
Child marriage is the marriage, usually forced but may not be, between one party of under 18 and another over the age of 18. There are many reasons for child marriage which can range anywhere from social or religious pressure to safety, either economic or physical, for the girl and her family. As well as how many families find girls to be economic strains as the families need to provide a dowry for the girl. Young women tend to not be allowed to work as they are considered worthless and a burden, especially considering that sons carry the family name and are seen as a sign of fertility in most societies. This is an
This gives rise to the issue of girl child marriage in Nigeria. It is mostly practiced in Northern Nigeria and some parts of Eastern Nigeria. It is an arranged marriage whereby girls who are not physically and emotionally ready to get married are given off by their parents to men who are sometimes old enough to be their fathers. These parents deem their female children as the means by which their impoverished state can be rectified. As a consequence of this act, many of these girls are faced with traumatic experiences, some of which include domestic violence, marital rape, sexually transmitted diseases, and the overwhelming experience of raising a child as a child. Marriage is definitely a thing of joy, but this does not hold true when it is forced on someone who is obviously not ready for such
The causes of child marriage often stem from tradition and gender norms within the community. However, child marriages can also be a result of severe poverty; the dowry, or “price of the bride,” may be needed for a family’s survival. Even security plays a role in the decision, as parents may believe their daughter will be safer in a marriage than unwed.
Girls not brides webpage reports that over 60% of child brides in developing countries have had no formal education. Non educated adults usually do not understand the value of education leading to decisions that affect the child and their fundamental rights. Generally, girls suffer of genre inequality which leads to the believe that they should not study and are more useful as wife. Girls with education are less likely to get married before the age of 18 years old because education allows them to develop their skills and make wise decisions. On the other hand, girls without access to education and sexuality education are more vulnerable to sexual transmitted diseases (STD) and pregnancies.
Every young girl asks for a new baby Annabel or a new bicycle on the run up to their 11th birthday, but girls all over the world just want the right to an education and a free life. In the developing world girls are getting married to older men from ages 30 up. This can end their chances of an education and puts them at a much greater risk of isolation and violence. For girls under the age of 15 the incidence of an early forced marriage is one in nine; The girls in these undeveloped countries can be married as young as 5 years old. It is time to stop these unforgivable marriages.
Child brides are a little voiced problem that occur around the world. Fourteen million girls become child brides every year, a number that is increasing due to the growing populations of countries where child marriage is common (Fisher). I chose to focus on child brides specifically in Africa and the Middle East due to the high instances of child marriages in those parts of the world. In my research I also found that child brides are very common in South Asia and South America as well. In Niger, Chad, Mali, Bangladesh, Guinea, Central African Republic, Mozambique, and Nepal over half of girls are married before they turn eighteen (Fisher).This is largely due to traditional tribal practices, cultural norms, and an overall lack of education.
Practice and customs surrounding marriage, such as preferable age and selection of spouse differ from society to society, according to understandings, structures and patterns of lives of families in each society. Marriage is a basic human right which is legally defined by a set of stipulations. The existence of a minimum age for marriage is one of those conditions. Afghanistan is in the top of 49 countries for bride under age marriages. 70 to 80 % of the marriage in this country is either before legal age or forced (Grigsby, 2013). According to Afghanistan civil law the minimum age for girls to marry is 16. While statistics by UN and UNICEF shows that 57 percent of girls are married before reaching 16 (UNFPA, 2012).
The second category as to why girls are married off so young, is poverty. Education can be a solution to child marriage, however it is too expensive and so families do not see it as necessary if they will marry their daughter into another family. In India, it is tradition for a woman to leave her