L.J ST MATHEW-DANIEL WAS OUR 2ND GUEST SPEAKER ON THE AUGUST EDITION OF #AARTALK. SHE SHARED ON "CHILD MARRIAGE ISSUES"
Here we are today on #AARTalk discussing Child Marriage Issues with Laila St. Matthew-Daniel @LJSMD
Child Marriage concern is not a situation prevalent in Nigeria but in most countries other than third world
countries.
Thank you Bunmi for inviting me onto this most powerful podium that deals with issues concerning women and the girl child.
One third of girls in the developing word are married before the age of 18 and 1 in 9 are married before the age of 15.
In 2012, 70 million women 20-24 around the world had been married before the age of 18.
If present trends continue, 150 million girls will be married before their 18th birthday. Are these girls matured enough?
Girls living in poor households are almost twice as likely to marry before 18 than girls in high income households.
Girls with higher levels of schooling are less like to marry as children.60% with no education compared to 1%girls with higher education.
Pregnancy is consistently among the leading causes of death for girls ages 15 to 19 years world wide. It is kept silent.
Child brides often face a higher risk of contracting HIV because they often marry an older man with MORE sexual experience.
Educating adolescent girls has been a critical factor in increasing the age of marriage in a number of developing countries.
Girls who marry before 18 are more likely to experience domestic violence & abuse than their peers who marry later.
Child brides often show signs symptomatic of sexual abuse and post-traumatic stress such as feelings of hopelessness/…
helplessness & severe depression that could lead to suicide or murder as the case of the 14yrs old who poisoned her husband
According to UNICEF, sub-saharan Africa will be home to the highest number of child brides in the world by 2050.
In Nigeria the rate has been falling by 1% a year over the past 30 years but population growth has seen an increase.
Poverty, most times, is one of the reasons for parents giving their girls out in early marriage. Others are religion & custom.
Some cultural practices have led people astray causing harm to young girls.
Some cultural norms believe a child's first menstrual period should be in the husband's house. Ignorance or culture??
Early marriage affects a child in all areas: educationally, morally and physically.
Morally: she is devoid of the sense of right or wrong - she can see she has no right over her own life. complacency sets in.
Physically: most end up having Visio-Vaginal Fistula (VVF). A horrid issue that sees the girls cast out by the husband.
Parents forget these girls have no experience to live a marital life or become mothers because ignorant of what life is all about.
Child marriage is a total mistake and misconception and is child abuse in my opinion.
Lets talk about the causes of Child Marriage - cultural, social, economic & religious.
In many cases, a mixture of these causes results in the imprisonment of children in marriages without their consent.
Poverty. Poor families sell their children to settle debts or escape cycle of poverty.
Child Marriage instead fosters poverty as they will not be properly educated or take part in the workforce
Gender discrimination: a product that devalue women & girls and discriminate against them - which results in marital rape?…
…domestic violence, deprivation of food, lack of information, healthcare and general impediments to mobility.
. Inadequate laws to protect against child marriage and where there is, not enforced.
Child Marriage denies the child her rights such as to education - a most important factor for survival.
The right to be protected from physical & mental violence, injury or abuse, including sexual abuse and trafficking.
The right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health.
The right to rest and leisure, and to participate freely in cultural life. Stories by child brides is pathetic.
Child Brides are denied the right to not be separated from parents against their will.
Child Brides are denied the right to protection against all forms of exploitation and eventual employment.
A child bride says she was married to a 9 year old boy at 3. Taken to her IN-LAWS place n thereafter began a life of hardship.
She was denied all the things she saw other little girls had. She had severe back pain due to early child birth.
It is glaringly undeniable that giving a CHILD out in marriage is one of the most heartless actions by a parent or family.
Health n emotional ramifications are best imagined than experienced. I ask, how can a loveless child impact love as a mother?
How can a dis-empowered child/woman/mother contribute economically into the home and the society at large?
What needs to be done is massive sensitization and awareness on the pros and cons of Child Marriage and effect on society.
A child not nurtured at birth, grows into a warped adult in thinking and actions which affects the society also.
Religion and culture should not be the point of attack but mental health and physical issues should be the educative way.
Parents should be economically empowered to prevent turning to the easy way of giving their child out in marriage.
Early child marriage is more prevalent in certain parts of the country and a NEEDS analysis should be addressed as well.
Education, knowledge & economic empowerment is key to getting the buy-in of the parents and guardians.
That ends my input into just a small area of the issue of Child Marriage, causes and plausible solutions. Thank U for having me.
It was a pleasure sharing the knowledge. If anyone needs clarity, you can give them my contact. Bless You
L.J ST MATHEW-DANIEL is a Transformational Strategist, SME Consultant, Emotions/Life Coach, Writer, Author, Blogger. You can follow her on twitter....
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