Underage Marriage

By Avneet Khaira

About Child Marriage Every year over 10 million girls are

forced to marry as children. Leaving

their education and rights behind.

Girls are married before they are 18

without any say in the matter. None of the

girls are physically or emotionally ready to

become wives or mothers. The girls are forced to work hard

hours of the day cleaning. The girls are at huge risk of facing HIV

or AIDS due to pregnancy and childbirth. The girls also face domestic violence. It is estimated

that if we don’t act soon in 2030 15.4 million girls will marry as children! We need to get this

known across the world!

Where About In The World?

Where does it happen - Girls Not Brides.html

The country that has the most child marriage’s would be Niger which has 75% of girls getting married before they reach eighteen years.

The Impacts On The Girls

Watch the following links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_P3iCVyny-o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6BYkpQD4X0

The Reason

A main reason would be poverty. As a family, giving the

girl to a man would mean they’d be able to reduce the

family costs. Meaning they wouldn’t have to worry about

feeding, educating and clothing the girl. In communities

where a dowry or ‘bride price’ is paid, the poorer family

would receive more family income. When the girl’s family

have to pay the groom a dowry, they would have to pay

less because the girl is young and uneducated.

Many parents marry off their

daughters young because they feel it

is in her best interest, often to ensure

her safety in areas where girls are at

high risk of physical or sexual assault.

There is another reason that in

many communities where child

marriage is practised, girls are

not valued as much as boys –

they are seen as a burden.

Child marriage is a traditional practice that in many places happens simply because it has happened for generations.

A Boy’s Side Of Things

Boys feel as if they cannot attend college

or school because they have to look after

their wife. “If our parents had not forced us to marry at such a young age, our lives would be so different” quoted Pannilal Yadev, a boy who was forced into marriage at the age of 7, he is now 25.The consequences of early

marriage on young girls are

well known, but millions of

underage boys are also

married off each year-and

there is little research on their

fates!

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/05/19/a_grooms_tale

Read this news article about child grooms:

How Does Religion Affect This Problem?

Islamic Law states that if a girl passes

puberty, she is allowed to be married -

regardless of whether she is 9, 11, 15 etc.

Grown-up Sikh boys and girls get married

when they are fully able to take on the

responsibilities of married life. Child marriage

is forbidden.

In most of the western countries the minimum age

for marriage is 18 years (for Christians)

Hindus do not believe in child marriages either.

Educating The Girls

If the girls are educated then they will have a less

chance of marrying when they are young.

Improving girls’ access to quality schooling will increase girls’ chances of gaining a secondary education and helps to delay marriage.

When a girl receives seven or more

years of education, she marries four

years later.

“Girls Not Brides members are working to empower

girls by establishing girls’ groups that provide a safe

space for girls to meet and share experiences, reducing

their sense of isolation and vulnerability.”

We need to give the girls

opportunities to gain skills within

their education.

The Law

Most countries around the world have laws

that set a minimum age of marriage, usually

at age 18 however some countries allow

children to be married if the parent has

consent.

Laws that set a minimum age of marriage are

an important way to safeguard boys and girls

from being married before they are ready.

Child marriage or marriage without the free and full consent of both spouses is a human rights violation.

As well as having strong and enforceable minimum age of

marriage legislation, it is imperative that to have strong

supporting legislation which protects women and girls’

rights.” Stated the charity Girls Not Brides.

Girls Not Brides

Girl’s Voices

http://www.girlsnotbrides.org/girls-voices/young-bride-fights-back-reenas-story-india/

Reena’s Story:

http://www.girlsnotbrides.org/girls-voices/believe-can/

Laxmi’s Story:

http://www.girlsnotbrides.org/video-no-to-child-marriage-yes-to-education-for-girls-in-india/

Education:

What Can We Do?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv

QjBjqmNLM

First Let’s Watch

These Videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4v3vq5-z8Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v

=m7gaDc9Ip-I

Here are some charities:

http://www.care.org/work/womens-emp

owerment/child-marriage

http://www.plan-uk.org/ http://www.girlsnotbrides.org/take-action/

http://www.girleffect.org/#

Together We Can Say NO To Child Marriage!

With your help we can stop child marriage. Please take a look at these websites and donate because it is for a very good cause.

Send This To Everyone You Know! We need to get this message across the world.

Thank You For Listening!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e8xgF0JtVg&index=7&list=FLOoma9ZrGw4CHcIcmFxAY3w