Today, over 60 million marriages include girls under the age of 18 years. The causes, consequences and solutions to forced child marriage. Child marriages occur most frequently in south asia, where 48% of women aged 1524 have been married before the age of 18. Health consequences of child marriage in africa volume 12. Child marriage is a widespread practice in subsaharan africa which leads to violation of human rights. People worry that the older a girl is, the more they will have to pay, so they marry girls early. It is mostly in south asia, africa, and latin america. In simple terms, child marriage is the marriage of a person aged before majority. Although many african nations do not have the capacity to adequately or effectively screen for cervical cancer or hpv, the incidence of cervical cancer in africa is estimated to be extremely high. A minor in a child marriage can be a girl or a boy, but the large majority of child marriages are between a girl and a man, and are rooted in gender inequality although the age of majority legal adulthood and marriageable age are usually designated at.
Four in ten women aged 2024 in west and central africa were married by the age of 18. Perspective health consequences of child marriage in africa. Child marriage is the formal or informal marriage of a child under the age of 18 most often the marriage of a young girl to an older boy or man. Sadly, the practice of early marriage gives no such cause for celebration. A reflection on the african traditional values of marriage and sexuality dr. A minor in a child marriage can be a girl or a boy, but the large majority of child marriages are between a girl and a man, and are rooted in gender inequality. The country facts refer to the following indicators. Child marriage is still a massive problem in many developing countries. The global state of evidence on interventions to prevent. Each day, 25,000 girls are married and an anticipated 100 million girls.
Rates are 17% in the middle east and north africa, and 11% in eastern europe and central asia. Identifying forced marriage presumes a common notion of consent that may, in reality, differ according to cultural attitudes. Impact of child marriage on literacy and education attainment in africa minh cong nguyen and quentin wodon1 child marriage has been referred to as a hidden crisis and is an issue that is now being considered directly at high levels in development policy. 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. In despite of all attention drawn to child marriage across the world, there is a lack of improvement. Despite progress over the last two decades, girls still have on average lower levels of educational attainment than boys in many african countries, especially at the secondary and tertiary levels. Girl child marriage, socioeconomic status, and undernutrition.
Moreover, what is early for one person may be late for another. Child marriage, defined as marriage of a child child marriage include early marriage and child brides. However, the rate of child marriage among the poorest quintile 60% is nearly. I was p reg n a t, hd olk f m yus b housework, deal with inlaws, and work on. Dowry the money the brides family pays to the groom is a big factor in child marriage. The national prevalence has decreased by 16 percentage points in 20 years and is today below the regional average 42%. African girls summit on ending child marriage in africa. In terms of scholarship and international attention, the region is often overshadowed by the child marriage hotspots of subsaharan africa and southeast asia. Pdf health consequences of child marriage in africa. In niger, for example, 77% of women in their early 20s were married as children. The prevalence of child marriage across africa is slowly. Ending child marriage in africa i faced a lot of problems in marriage. Data and analytics section division of data, research and policy. High incidence rate of child marriage in nepal among south asian.
The cumulative effects of reduced school attainment, maternal morbidities and mortality, and the longterm impact of early marriage and childbearing on children are well documented. Globally, one in every five girls is married, or in union, before reaching age 18. Some as young as 8 or 9 are forced to trade their childhoods for a life that can be defined by isolation, violence and illness. Despite laws against it, the practice remains widespread.
Child marriage is also a uniquely challenging impediment to development. Focus shall be put on child marriage in general exemplified in particular by two countries in. Child marriage, defined as marriage of a child under 18 years of age, is a silent and yet widespread practice. A challenge across africa in subsaharan africa, 40% of women are married as children. New findings on child marriage in subsaharan africa. The percentage of young women married before age 18 is above 30 per cent in central, southern, and eastern. The causes, consequences and solutions to forced child. This amounts to 42,905 girls married before age 18 every year, of which 11,764 are married before age 15. A reflection on the african traditional values of marriage.
Although the definition of child marriage includes boys. Ending child marriage in africa human rights watch. 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. If the present trend continues, 100 million girls will marry over the next decade. In africa, high rates of child marriage combined with a rapidly growing. Adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 who are currently married.
Ending child marriage in africa a brief by girls not brides. Early marriage and forced marriage is most common in subsaharan africa where 38% of girls become child brides. Girl child marriage, a formal union of a female before age 18, and undernutrition remain common in subsaharan africa. The the causes, consequences and solutions to causes, consequences and solutions tocauses, consequences and solutions to forced forced forced child marriage child marriage child marriage in the developing worldin the developing world testimony submitted to u. Mapping findings and recommendations advocacy programming. Child marriage in the middle east and north africa, united. Early marriage is vague and does not necessarily refer to children. Child marriage also occurs in parts of the middle east, including yemen and the rural maghreb. The incidence of child marriage is not only in nepal but also in the world. I was p reg n a t, hd olk f m yus b housework, deal with in laws, and work on. Ending child marriage in a generation ford foundation. Child marriage unfpa united nations population fund. Child marriages in india the red elephant foundation december 20 e 4 introduction child marriage refers to the marriage of a child younger than 18 years old,1 in accordance to article 1 of the convention on the right of the child. Ending child marriage and meeting the needs of married.
More than one in three of these women and girls over 40 million entered into marriage or union before age 15. Context and policy environment child marriage in africa global, regional and national policy environment chapter 3. Africa, where the percentage is higher over 40 per cent, child brides are also younger this. In may 2014, the african union au launched a campaign to end child marriage in africa, by enhancing continental awareness of its. If current trends continue, almost half of the worlds child brides in 2050 will be african. In subsaharan africa, a staggering 40 percent of girls marry before age 18, and african countries account for 15 of the 20 countries with the highest rates of child marriage. A pressing issue across west and central africa child marriage is harmful to large numbers of girls in the region, many of whom are younger than 15 years old. In terms of scholarship and international attention, the region is often overshadowed by the child marriage hotspots of. Most will be in subsaharan africa and the asian subcontinent nepal, india, pakistan, bangladesh. Child marriage is widespread in west and central africa, where 42% of women are married as children, and in east and southern africa, where child marriage a. T he work builds on previous stud ies at the world bank on the economic impacts of child marriage jointly with icrw, the changing wealth of nations, and the cost of gender inequality in earnings. 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. The compendium ends with key policy recommendations for marriage law reform and actions by au member states and other stakeholders working to end child marriage.
The compendium also tracks recent marriage law reforms, identifying member states that are making strides in introducing new laws and repealing old laws to end child marriage in africa. The prevalence rate of child marriage is closely linked to the attainment of mdgs 1, 2,3,4,5 and 6 and therefore ending child marriage should be one of the core human development issues of the post2015 development agenda as well as the african unions agenda 2063. Child marriage is a marriage or similar union, formal or informal, between an adult and a child under a certain age, typically age eighteen. Hpv infection has become endemic to subsaharan africa 2224. Throughout the world, marriage is regarded as a moment of celebration and a milestone in adult life. Child marriage occurs in practically every region of the world,4 but it is most common in south asia, latin america, the caribbean, the middle east and africa. Box 4384400100, nairobi, kenya abstract it is the opinion consensuses of a few scholars that the institution of marriage has continued to. Its causes are multiple and overlapping and its effects are lifelong for the victims and their communities. Although the largest total number of child brides resides in south asia, the majority of countries with the highest prevalence rates of child marriage 1 in the world are in subsaharan africa. The issue is more concentrated in countries of sub saharan africa and south asia. Many girls who are married off before they turn 18 or are forced into early marriages are made to leave school, depriving them of their right to education and future independence. Health consequences of child marriage in africa volume. The prevalence of child marriage in senegal is 31% before age 18 and 8. House of representatives human rights commissions human rights commission.
National and international indicators on maternal health, education, food. The international center for research on women icrw recently conducted research in kenya, senegal, uganda, and zambia to contribute to greater understanding of the drivers of child marriage in each of these contexts. Forcedchild marriage may take a variety of forms, but should be distinguished from arranged marriages. Among girls growing up in south asia, 30% experience early marriage, compared with 25% in latin america and the caribbean. Child marriage is a human rights violation that prevents girls from obtaining an education, enjoying optimal health, bonding with others their own age, maturing, and ultimately choosing their own life partners. Africa is home to 15 of the 20 countries with the highest rates of child marriage in the world. Child marriage is driven by poverty and has many effects on girls health. Child marriage and polygamy play an important role in another deadly disease, cervical cancer. While subsaharan africa has the highest rates of child marriage, due to population size, the largest number. The object of this research is to look into under what circumstances child marriage does exist and how girls living conditions can be improved. Far less attention has been paid to child marriage in subsaharan africa, where prevalence rates remain high. All too often, the imposition of a marriage partner upon a child means that a girl or boys childhood is cut short and their. Forced child marriage is a lifechanging reality for many of the worlds girls. However, the rate of child marriage among the poorest quintile.
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