Ending The Practice of Child Marriage
- cchiostrinkets
- Feb 27, 2024
- 5 min read
The tradition and practice of child marriage is a still an ongoing issue we need to solve to ensure rights for girls around the world. Girls should be able to freely choose a spouse (if even), go to school, and make their own decisions about their future. This is, however, not attainable due to discrimination, abuse and restriction when girls are forced to subdue their rights, decisions and bodies through arranged and/or non consensual marriages.
When adressing rights of underage girls, it is important to note that the practice of forced child marriage directly violates UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights - UDHR and the Convention on the Rights of the Child - CRC among other human rights treaties. In regards to marriage the UDHR declares that “(it) shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses''' (UN). The secondary consequences of child marriage, like forced, early and/or unwanted pregnancies and little to no access to an education, also defy the declarations that “States Parties undertake to protect the child from all forms of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.” and “recognize the right of the child to education” (UN, OHCHR).
Child marriages are often driven by poverty and financial struggles and freedom to choose a spouse is either opted “not an option” financially or blatantly disregarded due to gender inequality and discrimination, be this through views from culture, religion or other. A girl may be forced into a marriage, which will then have a further effect on her freedom to make life decisions. The girl may well be expected to have children, a process her body may not be mature enough for as a child or teenager. Pregnancy may therefore be fatal or cause complications during delivery and later life. Some girls are married young to ensure she is a virgin when married, subsequently avoiding the risk of her having sex or falling pregnant out of wedlock (HRW). Sexual and reproductive rights are also disregarded as she has no autonomy over her own body. Schooling will not be a priority as the girl is expected to keep the house, cutting her off from achieving a career and taking up a job she might dream of, subsequently making her dependent on her husband's income. This also locks her in a cycle of poverty as she cannot achieve adequate schooling, career and income opportunities, which then again drives the cycle of the child marriage practice.
Ultimately the main drive for child marriage, be it religious, financial, or other, is the community the girls are in. The power and decision to uphold the practice is with the persons who lead the family or community as their views on gender roles, girls’ value, etc. are what then directly influence the community's view of marrying children. Communities, leaders, families and even the girls themselves may think the practice is completely normal, and will therefore enforce it and go along out of ignorance. Regions with high prevalence of child marriages also have a predominant honor - shame culture that views virginity as the girl’s only asset, as previously mentioned, and that marriage is in regards to social status then leading back to honoring the family. To change this, the communities must be informed of the consequences and negative impacts of the practice on both girls and their communities (GNB). “Work towards … an end to child marriage … needs to engage families, communities, the media and others who influence decisions around marriage to drive gender-transformative change. This includes working with parents, boys, men, and traditional, religious and community leaders. This also has to be reflected in the broader social norms and media that influence these groups’ attitudes and behaviour.” (GNB). To change these communities, deep rooted values and tradition need to change, the result being as stated by Girls Not Brides; “ Families, communities and young people are aware of the harmful impact of child marriage and informal unions and the available alternatives for girls … value and encourage alternative options to child marriage … prefer not to marry girls before age 18 and understand the negative effects on girls’ wellbeing … value girls’ rights and encourage them to participate in decisions that affect them … demonstrate shifts in social norms away from child marriage and towards gender equality” (GNB).
Though community support is important to ending child marriage, the government has a responsibility to set laws and ensure implementation. According to UDHR, “States Parties shall take all effective and appropriate measures with a view to abolishing traditional practices prejudicial to the health of children.” and “... undertake to protect the child from all forms of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.” (UN). This means a need for creation and implementation of laws directly against child marriage and other correlated issues like lack of schooling etc. All countries have agreed on the former UN articles, yet some countries are yet to ban child marriages. Other countries have defined laws and bans, but with ignorance towards smaller communities and/or little to no law implementation, they have just as much need for action as in countries without these. A law without implementation will not yield results. Government and police forces need to actively campaign against child marriage and actively implement the law and consequences of the practice to ensure change. “(Governments) should … enact laws to ensure the free and full consent to marriage of both spouses and to provide penalties for violence and intimidation to pressure people to marry. Governments should educate parents, guardians and community leaders about the harmful effects of child marriage and put programs in place to protect girls at risk.” (HRW).
With work from up top country governments down to teaching individual girls and families about the dangers and impacts of child marriage, we will be closer to a world without it. What we will be closer to is a world where girls get to live as children instead of housewives and mothers, free of dangerous pregnancies and child-delivery; a world where girls have access and possibilities to schooling and therefore can escape from or improve on communities trapped in poverty. Girls will be respected equally in society as people capable and rightfully able to make decisions for themselves in power of their rights and free wills.
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Works Cited
Convention on the Rights of the Child. United Nations and Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights,
Globally Girls Struggle for Rights. Human Rights Watch,
Mobilise Families and Communities. Girls Not Brides,
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. United Nations,
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