What is Child Marriage?

Child marriage is a formal union between a child under the age of 18 and another person. Yearly at least 12 million girls are married before the age of 18; worldwide it is reported that over 650 million women were married as children. Girls are heavily affected, 1 in 5 women aged 20 to 24 years old were married before the age of 18, while men were 1 in every 30. In less developed countries, these statistics double, a horrifying 40 percent of girls are married before they reach 18, and 12 percent before they reach 15. It was stated that a decade ago, 1 in 4 girls was married before their 18th birthday. Although the momentum of child marriage has slowed, the numbers are still too high. Child marriage must be eliminated in order to have full gender equality. The UN stated that they were working to eliminate child marriage by 2030, but sadly no region is on track to meet that goal. 

 

Ultimately, child marriage is a human rights violation. A child marriage is considered a forced marriage because one or even potentially both parties are unable to give informed consent. Child marriage also increases the rate of early pregnancies and can cause increased maternal morbidity and mortality rates. Being a child in marriage makes them susceptible to violence and abuse. It interrupts their education and social experiences, it also creates large obstacles for career opportunities. Some demographics are more susceptible to child marriage than others. Child marriage is predominantly seen in areas of poverty. The reasons for it can vary, some believe it offers protection, for many it offers financial stability. Child marriage is largely tied to economic need, and creates social ties for the family. Child marriage may be helpful to families with economic struggles, but it is not worth the detriment that the children are forced to go through. Child marriage uproots and disrupts their life, which should not happen to a child. 

 

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