Child marriage, also referred to as early marriage, is any marriage where at least one of the parties is under 18 years of age. The leading cause of death for young girls between the ages of 15 and 19 in developing countries is early pregnancy. Zambia has been one of the earliest countries that have championed efforts to tackle child marriage. Law passed to end child marriage in zimbabwe plan international. Factors contributing to teenage pregnancies in a rural. Zambia child marriage research report rise learning network. Maintaining a marriage is not easy in a society where one out of every two marriages will end in divorce. Child spouses this digest focuses on early marriage the marriage of children and young people under the age of 18 from a human rights perspective. The causes of child marriage in zambia are deep rooted, and tied to issues like poverty and lack of opportunity. For instance, in mali the ratio of girls ages 1519 who were married as children compared to boys, is. Apr 15, 2019 zambias national strategy includes a goal to reduce child marriages by 40% by 2021. Early marriages research essay essays and articles. Empowerment programs for young girls are key to preventing early marriages by. Nov 25, 2015 the summit, in lusaka, zambia, on november 26 and 27, 2015, will highlight the devastating effects of child marriage in subsaharan africa, where 40 percent of girls marry before 18, and seek to.
Among girls growing up in south asia, 30% experience early marriage, compared with 25% in latin america and the caribbean. Marriages in which a child under the age of 18 years is involved occur worldwide, but are mainly seen in south asia, africa, and latin america. Research into early marriage has tended to concentrate only on specific aspects of its impact such as the effects on reproductive health and school dropout. Sudan, uganda, united republic of tanzania, zambia and. Child marriage is defined as any legal or customary union involving a boy or girl younger than the age of 18. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. The problem of early marriage and teenage pregnancy is multisectoral in nature and therefore requires government to act quickly to improve coordination among government ministries and other relevant stakeholders to ensure the girl child is. A situation report on child marriages in zambia world. The term child marriage will be used to refer to both formal marriages and informal unions in which a girl lives with a. Child marriage also occurs in parts of the middle east, including yemen and the rural maghreb. A human rights violation, child marriage directly impacts girls education, health, psychologic wellbeing, and the health of their offspring. Thus, child marriage is associated with early initiation of childbearing cso, 2014. When we educate parents, we can help them understand the negative effects that early marriage can have on a young girls life. Early marriage is a violation of childrens human rights.
Stakeholders for ending child marriage in zambia unicef. Globally, one in every five girls is married, or in union, before reaching age 18. Marriage may thus be seen as a way to provide a male guardian for their daughters, protect them from sexual assault, avoid pregnancy outside marriage, and extend their childbearing years. Baseline report zambia kit royal tropical institute.
Recent data indicate that 1 in 3 women currently aged 2024 in the developing world has married before the age of 18, and an estimated 15 million girls under 18 marry each year. Zambias national strategy includes a goal to reduce child marriages by 40% by 2021. Nov 07, 2011 there are three types of marriages recognized by law in zambia, these are 1. Unicef s innocenti research centre published the digest early marriage. Child brides have double the pregnancy death rate of women in their twenties. Each day, approximately 37,000 girls under age 18 are married. According to research, girls younger than 15 years old are five. The presentation of the empirical evidence and analysis is structured around the indicators presented previously. Despite laws against it, the practice remains widespread. Child abuse is still a very real and pervasive part of life in rural and urban schools and communities in zambia. An informal union is one in which a couple live together for some time, intending to have a lasting relationship, but do not have a formal civil or religious ceremony. Poor health, early death and lack of educational opportunities lead the list of problems attributed to child marriage. Among married girls aged 1519 in zambia, 68 percent have already given birth. Owing to the above facts, early child marriage has currently become a vital topic of discussion amongst several development platforms which has made it more visible to many that were unaware of its existence.
Zambia among worlds top 20 on child marriage the mast. The dual legal system in zambia has allowed child marriages to take place. However, the main negative influence falls on the young girls who are married off at tender ages. In this case a man sends a middle man shibukombe to ask for permission to marry from a. Child marriage statistics show child brides have a diminished chance of completing their education and are at a higher risk of being physically abused, contracting hiv and other diseases, and dying while pregnant or giving. Empowerment programs for young girls are key to preventing early marriages by improving their selfefficacy. In most cases, early marriages are not good for both sides of the relationships. Although child marriage has declined by 25% from 41. Zambia cosponsored the 2017 human rights council resolution recognising the need to address child, early and forced marriage in humanitarian contexts, and the 2015 human rights council resolution to end child, early and forced marriage, recognising that it is a violation of human rights. Jan 21, 2016 plan international has been working with communities to educate traditional leaders, media and national governments about the dangers of child marriage. Qualitative study of child marriage in six districts of zambia this research report was produced by gillian mann, padraig quigley and rosal fischer of child frontiers for the government of the republic of zambia in april 2015 with support from unicef.
The causes, consequences and solutions to forced child marriage. To know the general attitude of the public towards early marriage. In the least developed countries, that number doubles 40 per cent of girls are married before age 18, and 12 per cent of girls are married before age 15. Parents may consent to child marriages out of economic necessity. By international conventions, 18 years has been estab. A guide for global policy actionappeals to key policy makers to improve the quality of life of millions of girls and young women forced into child marriages. Regionally, there have been a number of african mechanisms and institutions that have recognised and taken steps to address the harmful impact of child marriage. Advocacy and communication strategy on ending child marriage in zambia. Birth, marriage and death are the standard trio of key events in most peoples lives. Zambia is among the top twenty countries with the highest prevalence rate of child marriage in the world. Zambia among worlds top 20 on child marriage the mast online. In many countries where child marriage occurs, parents often struggle to understand the damage of child marriage. They often believe that child marriage is protecting their child, but in most cases, the opposite is true.
Rates are 17% in the middle east and north africa, and 11% in eastern europe and central asia. Many girls and a smaller number of boys are married without their free and full consent. According to the 2014 zdhs, child marriage affects more girls than boys child marriage in zambia. Preventing and eliminating child, early and forced marriage. Zambia has committed to eliminate child, early and forced marriage by 2030 in line. In niger, for example, 77% of women in their early 20s were married as children.
That strategy, which emphasizes partnerships between the government and civil society organizations as well as bolstering the countrys legal framework around child marriage, began in 2016. Boys are also affected by child marriage but the issue impacts girls in far larger numbers and with more intensity. Early marriage denies girls their right to make vital decisions about their sexual health and wellbeing. A harmful traditional practice associated with child marriage and cohabitation. Child marriage in africa often ends a girls education, exposes her to domestic violence and grave health risks from early childbearing and hiv, and traps her in poverty, human rights watch said.
Early marriage is followed by early divorce for many, so it is not. Should be able to tell if early marriage is higher in the rural areas or in the urban area. Urgent need to align all laws that affect children to the constitution it is commendable that the constitutional court has finally outlawed child marriage and struck down section 221 of the marriage act, which for years had allowed children under the age of 18 years to marry. Furthermore, the government in each country should make efforts to eliminate poverty and provide education to its population which will result in the decrease in the child marriages icrw. Results from the research indicate that abuse takes a range of forms including child labour, sexual, physical, and verbal abuse. Child marriage, in many instances, marks an abrupt transition into sexual relations with a husband who is considerably older and unchosen. Child marriage unfpa united nations population fund. Marriage in zambia there are three types of marriages recognized by law in zambia, these are 1. In 2014, zambia signed a joint statement at the human rights council calling for a resolution on child marriage. A child marriage is considered as a form of forced marriage given that one or both parties have not expressed their full, free and informed consent. The children used to be married after attaining puberty that is at around the age of 12 to 16.
In many countries where child marriage is widespread, girls are often seen as economic burdens. Introduction child marriage refers to any marriage of a child younger than eighteen years old, in accordance to article 1 of the convention of the right of the child. The issue of child marriage, defined as the legal marriage or informal union before the age of 18, has globally been identified as one of the major detriments to development and a major impediment to the realization of human rights. Given the prevalence rate of early pregnancies, which has been estimated to be 5. Child, early and forced marriage is a gross human rights violation which puts girls at risk of violence and ill health, denies them the opportunity to fully contribute to their societies and keeps them locked in a state of poverty. Identify government aid towards the stopping of early marriage in nigeria. The overwhelming majority of child marriages, both.
And the statistics dont exactly paint a positive picture of the future. Early marriages often include some elements of force, otoooyortey and pobi 2003 the lack of an overarching definition of early marriage in international conventions has generated some debate. Marriage before the age of 18 is a fundamental violation of human rights. Despite being prohibited by international law, it continues to rob millions of girls under 18 around the world of their childhood. Early motherhood is one of the most adverse effects of child marriage and often leads to the death of the young mother during child birth. Child marriage impedes girls education the education a girl receives is the strongest predictor of the age she will marry, according to icrw analysis in 18 of the 20 countries with the highest prevalence of child marriage. Laws prohibiting child marriage in zambia dont protect all.
It is essential to understand what is protective in these districts that prevents adolescents from early marriage. How advocacy and communications can be used to reduce child marriage in zambia. Perceptions of early marriage 7 chapter i introduction in 1998, the median age at first marriage was 26. Sep 10, 2015 zambia has one of the highest child marriage rates in the world with 42% of women aged 2024 years married by the age of 18. Preventing early marriage and teenage pregnancy in zambia. Laws prohibiting child marriage in zambia dont protect. Marriage 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. Jun 10, 2018 he said some of the challenges that children face include but were not limited to defilement, child marriages, teenage pregnancy, physical abuse, psychological abuse and child neglect, among others. When it comes to child marriage facts, one of the most damning is the estimate that 700 million women in the world today were married as girls. Understandings of child and marriage 19 who is a child. A third of them married before their 15th birthday. That strategy, which emphasizes partnerships between the government and civil society organizations as well as bolstering the countrys legal framework around child. In may 2014, the african union au launched a campaign to end child marriage in africa, by enhancing continental awareness of its.
One adolescent returns to school after an early marriage. This article analyses trends in early marriage in turkey over a period of 30 years from 1978 to 2008, and factors associated with early marriage, based on data from the 1978 turkish fertility. Too young, mentally and physically to become a mother, early motherhood puts the health of the mother and child in danger. Preventing and eliminating child, early and forced. Early marriage, early divorce, now back in school in zambia unicef. Each year, another 15 million girls under the age of 18 become child brides. Plan international has been working with communities to educate traditional leaders, media and national governments about the dangers of child marriage. This study looks in detail at the causes of child marriage in zambia. Zambia has one of the highest child marriage rates in the world with 42% of women aged 2024 years married by the age of 18. And kalyata reaffirmed plan internationals commitment to fighting early marriages through various projects. In addition, nguyen and wodon 2012c also show that if child marriage and early pregnancies could be eliminated, this could potentially reduce the gender gap in education by about half.
Child, early, and forced marriage globally, the rate of child marriage is declining,8 but the rate of progress is not fast enough. New findings on child marriage in subsaharan africa. The term child marriage is used to refer to both formal marriages and informal unions in which a girl or boy lives with a partner as if married before the age of 18. Yet many girls, and a smaller number of boys, enter marriage without any chance of exercising their right to choose. The younger a bride is, the larger the age difference between her and her spouse. This used to be the case for most of the girls who used to be given to men as old as their fathers. The problem of early marriage and teenage pregnancy is multisectoral in nature and therefore requires government to act quickly to improve coordination among government ministries and other relevant stakeholders to ensure the girl child is supported, said luo, who attended the workshop.
Identify the effect of early marriage on the academic performance on girl child. The effect of early marriage on the academic performance of the girlchild in edo state abstract the purpose of this study is to identify interpret and understand the effect of early marriage on the academic performance of the girlchild with a view to recommending appropriate measure to be taken in order to enhance their welfare in terms of education and. A couple who married at an early age and lives happily is like a needle in a haystack. In chapter 1, we provide some background information on forced marriage, the gaps and shortcomings of existing literature, and a discussion on how this information is relevant to programmes aimed at eliminating this practice. In most societies early marriage has been practiced from time immemorial. In the united states, child marriage is still permissible in some states, with parental or judicial consent. In this case a man sends a middle man shibukombe to ask for permission to marry from a chosen family. Early marriage and forced marriage is most common in subsaharan africa where 38% of girls become child brides.
534 207 1567 170 510 1274 935 1245 7 1511 1556 1505 635 1437 1397 1272 89 14 890 729 950 747 1129 1188 155 720 1623 863 896 678 882 236 960 91 1167 99 858 1146