CHILD MARRIAGE IN EQUATORIAL GUINEA

INTRODUCTION

Child marriage is an issue that affects every African nation, it is a harmful traditional
practice that deprives young children of their future, their education, and their health. High rates
of underage marriage in Equatorial Guinea, a nation in Central Africa, combined with a fast
expanding population might have devastating effects on both human growth and welfare.

The fact that large numbers of African girls and boys suffer the consequences of child
marriage. Every African nation has faced the problem of child marriage, including Equatorial
Guinea which has the second-highest incidence at 52%, whereby young children marry every
two seconds before they reach the appropriate developmental stage emotionally or physically to
become a husband or wife. According to reports, 30% of females in Equatorial Guinea marry
before the age of 18, and 9% marry before the age of 15. In Equatorial Guinea, 4% of boys
marry before the age of 18.

BODY

This study dives into the complicated environment of child marriage in Equatorial
Guinea, looking at the various elements that contribute to this issue. Child marriage in
Equatorial Guinea is often rooted in traditional practices, economic factors, and societal
expectations.

First and foremost, there are long-standing cultural customs in this nation that support or
condone child marriage, where child marriage is still common because it has been practiced for
many generations and breaking custom might result in exclusion from the community

In addition, because of the economic hardship and detrimental societies, parents also
feel that marrying off a girl when she is young will ensure her safety, particularly in places where
girls are vulnerable to physical or sexual abuse. These factors can push families to marry off
their daughters at an early age, believing that doing so will lessen the financial load. Further, the
risk of child marriages may rise as a result of the poverty cycle and limited access to high-
quality education.

Ultimately, child marriage occurs in this society is because of gender inequality, where
girls are viewed as commodities or as a burden rather than as valuable as men.

In consequence of this, young children have been harmed, there may be health risks
that might be fatal, their right to an education is denied, and increases the risk of psychological
abuse for females that could last a lifetime. Child marriage often has detrimental effects on
economic growth and wealth in Equatorial Guinea where millions of young children lose out on
the opportunities, and right to education, enable them to pull their family out of poverty and
make a positive impact on the economic growth and prosperity of their nation due to child
marriage.

KEY FINDINGS

Ethical relativism must be used to comprehend the complexity of child marriage in the
setting of Equatorial Guinea. This allows to compare and contrast national and international
rules while acknowledging the perspectives of other nations. It encourages those who are
strongly committed to universal human rights, in particular, to criticize child marriage in from a
non-relativistic perspective and to propose legislation and initiatives that forbid child marriage.
 Like, the Zambian government decided to stop child marriage and change laws and
policies to safeguard girls from child marriage. The campaign, which would last three years, was
started in 2013. In order to stop child marriage and support the sexual and reproductive health
and rights of youth, the Egyptian government created a national policy in 2014. Also, the
Ethiopian national government provide strategy to eradicate harmful traditional practices was
created by the government.

Due to the increasing number of governments putting their efforts into creating national
plans or other programs that prioritize children's rights. It encourage Equatorial Guinea to
abolish child, early, and forced marriage by 2030 in keeping with Sustainable Development
Goal.

Equatorial Guinea signed a united declaration before the Human Rights Council in 2014,
urging a resolution on child marriage. Equatorial Guinea committed to look into suggestions to
enhance governmental rules that permit the outlawing of child marriage and to intensify efforts
to combat "heinous" traditional practices including child marriage during its 2014 Universal
Periodic Review. Equatorial Guinea accepted suggestions to intensify efforts to stop early, child,
and forced marriage during its 2019 Universal Periodic Review.

CONCLUSION
To conclude, our knowledge of the cultural background of child marriage in Equatorial
Guinea might benefit from an ethical relativism perspective. It is crucial to handle these
conversations carefully and acknowledge the necessity for universal norms in defending human
rights. Remaining true to core human rights while maintaining cultural sensitivity is still a difficult
task.
In order to address child marriage, a multifaceted approach involving the government,
non-governmental organizations, local communities, and international organizations is required.
It should create solutions that still respect Equatorial Guinea's cultural heritage while working
with local stakeholders and international organizations to protect children's rights and well-
being. By, raising awareness of the prevalence and effects of child marriage, we should assist
children who are or have been the victims of it and work to gather the resources and support it.
Ultimately, the goal should be to gradually eradicate child marriage in order to bring about long-
lasting change.

REFERENCES
1. UNICEF, 2014. The State of the World’s Children 2015: Reimagine the future.
2. UNFPA, 2012. Marrying too Young: End Child Marriage.
3. UNICEF, 2014. Ending child marriage: Progress and prospects.
4. UNICEF, 2014. Ending child marriage: Progress and prospects.
5. https://www.humanium.org/en/guinea/
6. https://www.girlsnotbrides.org/learning-resources/child-marriage-atlas/regions-and-
countries/equatorial-guinea/

GROUP 5
1. Amit, Hannah Nicole
2. Bagares, Kenny Jun
3. Banias, Joseph James
4. Bayanon, Karissa Marie
5. Camacho, Danilo Jr.