Child Marriage – It Must Be Stopped

Child marriage are the more unethical forms of marriages that mostly take place in the
South-eastern region of the world. Marriages should be a time for celebration and joy –
unless you are one of the 64 million girls around the world forced into marriage before the
age of 18. Child marriages have plenty of problems faced by both the boys and the girls, but
there tends to be more problems for the girls in most cases. As almost 39,000 girls become
child brides every day, often married to men much older that themselves. One of nine girls
are forced in marriage before the age of 15. If these trends continue, 142 million children
will be married by the year 2020.

A problem that is considered most important is responsibility – it has to be shouldered at a

very young age. One has to take on household responsibility, child rearing responsibilities,
etc. There is no adult to guide or help out in cast the couples are living alone. There is a
minimum age for a driver’s license, voting rights, joining the army, certain jobs and even
joining ‘Facebook’! Then why can’t there be a minimum age restriction for marriage.

Secondly, there is teenage life – these child brides and grooms miss out on the fun of teenage
life and being young. The drudgeries of married life can get on to the immature minds. This
affects overall growth of individuals, and in most cases, they do not turn out to be a
responsible citizen as they are still quite immature.

Divorce is an integral factor to consider in child marriages as the ‘couple’ are afraid that
this breakdown might happen. Also, even if it does happen, the couple are not mentally
strong enough to cope with the situation. Sometimes, such events can put the individuals in a
trauma – they feel as if they are not ‘good enough’ and that the reason for divorce is because
of them.

Young girls will not be able to pursue further education as they have to take up the mantle of
a house-wife and shoulder on the responsibilities of the family budget. Careers can be
affected due to this very reason as in order to do something and get a job in this competitive
world, you are required to have a bachelor or master degree and if the boy/girl quit
education at a very tender young age, they will not have many job opportunities as the jobs
are limited towards youngsters.

Another problem that the couple will definitely face is the upbringing of their child as they
are still very young. Their knowledge of children will be limited at their age, and parental
guidance is also not there. Health is the most important factor that comes into consideration
when it comes to child marriage. Early pregnancy can have negative impacts on overall
health primarily for women. Every woman should have the freedom to make decisions
regarding family matters including their reproductive health.

Other problems include Domestic Violence and blind faith. Domestic violence is mostly a
problem for the women a with their low income, the women, generally, tend to go out looking
for work as a house-maid/helper. This creates problems for them as they are abused
mentally, and sometimes physically.
How Can We Put an End to It?
Empower Girls! Work directly to give them an opportunity to build skills and knowledge,
understand and exercise their rights and develop support networks. Enhance a ‘Safe Space
Program’. It I an opportunity to build skills, learn, meet friends and mentors in an informal
setting. It builds a girl’s confidence, agency, and self-efficacy, which they need, to thrive. It is
also an economic empowerment to the families that need financial benefits.

Another way to do this is by ‘mobilizing families and communities. There are many ways to
doing this. Include working collaboration between girls, men and boys. This will develop a
sense of safety in the girls’ minds. Also, we can include a change in tradition, and religions
to ensure that the child bride is comfortable doing whatever she has to do. With decreasing
the level of community and population, the couple become more aware of their surroundings
as there are lesser people that live close to them now.

Provide Services! Education is a key factor so provide accessible, high quality and safe
schooling. Also provide high-quality, youth-friendly health services to ensure that their
health remain well and sound. Provide adequate child protection mechanisms to keep the
child safe. Also provide economic security and assure them that they will receive all this with
the sufficient amount of money that they already have.

Lastly, establish and implement laws and policies. Strengthen, implement and re-inforce laws
and policies, this would set an age restriction and would decrease the number of child
marriages. Another thing to do is to register all births and marriages. This would ensure that
no child marriages take place as anyone who is spotted being married and hasn’t registered
his/her marriage will be fined or be sentenced to jail.

So, child marriage - is it possible for us to eradicate it? Definitely! If we follow the steps
above and be honest to ourselves, we will be able to decrease if not end this act of child
marriages forever. Together, we can save these young children from committing to this life-
long bond which they are still not mentally prepared for. It is still not that common in ‘The
United States of America’ and other continents such as Europe and South America as there
prefer to live in cohabitation rather than marriages; they can easily break it off. But
something needs to be done about this situation in the Asia-Pacific region – this can only be
done by us – for us. Together.

By,

Lay Modi
Grade 11 – IB DP