Harmful Effects of Child Marriages-Premature Pregnancy, HIV, Violence, Interrupted Education

Despite the child protection legislation limiting the legal age to marry to 16 to 18 years in many countries, the child marriages are still widely practiced around the globe resulting in violence against child brides, jeopardizing their health, limiting their opportunities and interrupting their education.

According to UNICEF's Progress for Children Report, based on data collected in 96 countries, 64 million young women aged 20 to 24 have stated that they were married before they were 18 years old. In the six countries with the highest prevalence of child marriages, more than 60% were married before age 18.

Population Council estimates that 100 million girls will be married as children in the next decade if governments don't step in.

Though girls are in the majority, boys are also forced into marriage. In Nepal, 16% of young men aged 20 to 24 were married before they were 18 years old, in Mozambique 14% and in Madagascar 11%.

The highest prevalence of child marriages is in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa with Bangladesh, Nepal and Guinea leading.

In India, Nepal and Pakistan, the children are often married before age 10, sometimes at age 6 or sooner. In Nigeria, nine years is the minimum age. In Ghana, the minimum age for marriage is non-existent.

In Mali, nearly three-quarters of women are married before they are 18 years old.

In developing countries, poverty is the major factor for child marriages and the decision is usually in the hands of male members of the family. Because of the money the family usually receives for the young bride, the child marriage is seen as a means to escape poverty. In truth, the marriage is not beneficial to the girls themselves and puts them into an extremely vulnerable position. The girls are usually married to older men, often to much older. Isolated from the family and denied formal education, they are often forced into bonded labor or prostitution. Physical and sexual abuse is common; even in pregnancy. Girls who want to run away run risk of honor killings.

On the other hand, child marriage is also seen as a means to preserve wealth in the wealthiest families and in some cultures as a way to safeguard family honor.

Early marriage is detrimental to the health of young girls. They are exposed to sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. A study conducted in Kenya and Zambia revealed that married girls had higher rates of HIV than unmarried.

Premature pregnancy may lead to serious complications or death. Girls younger than 15 years old are 5 times more likely to die during pregnancy or at childbirth than women in their twenties. The health of their children is also affected. Premature birth, low birth rate, and poor physical and mental growth are observed.

UNICEF is reporting that in Yemen, where the average age of marriage in rural areas is 12 or 13, the neo-natal and maternal mortality rates are among the highest in the world, with 365 women and 41 babies dying for every 100 000 live births.

In Central Africa, 44% of women aged 20 to 24 have given birth before they were 18 years old.

With premature pregnancy the young girls are at risk of gynecologic fistula because their pelvis is not fully developed. The girls with fistula are usually abused and abandoned by their family and husband. Worldwide, 8% of maternal deaths are related to obstetric fistula.

Since so many marriages are unregistered in countries with high prevalence of child marriages, the child marriage is often overlooked by the government judiciary, difficult to control, and condoned and tolerated by society. It is often a camouflage for sexual exploitation.

Child marriage is linked to education. Recent UNICEF studies contend that the girls who are attending secondary school are much less likely to marry. In Sri Lanka and Singapore, the studies found similar results.

Child marriage is one of the forms of child exploitation and a result of traditional attitudes, customs and beliefs, gender discrimination, interpretation of the legislation at the national levels, and the lack of political will to implement international norms.

Source: Data compiled by UNICEF, United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women, Population Council