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Child Marriage: The Future of Young GIrls in Third World Nations

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Child Marriage:
The Future of Young Girls in Third World Nations
     Do you remember when you were a kid and people would ask you: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Did you reply enthusiastically back with: “Astronaut!” “Doctor!” or “President!”? In third world countries, like Niger or Bangladesh, no one asks that question to young girls. Their futures are decided by their families, and they are never given a say.

     On a global scale, 51 million girls below the age of eighteen are child brides (Ten Facts). The girls are usually married to middle-aged men, but some of the husbands are children as well. They can be from 3 years old to 45 years old; neither the bride’s nor the husband’s age is a factor that their family considers when making the decision to marry them. The head of the family, usually the parents, arrange the marriages for their daughter, without giving the young girl a voice in that decision. Child marriages are generally the result of poverty; in many cultures, husbands pay a dowry for their future wives to their wives’ family, making the marriage profitable for the parents. The cultural discrimination toward women, and the desire to ensure the girl’s virginity before marriage are also some of the causes behind these unions. Some countries in Africa and Southern Asia consider child marriage a tradition, and the best option for the young girls.

     A child bride is expected to fulfill every responsibility of a wife, including becoming a mother. Still a child herself, she is forced by their new husband, their husbands’ family, and their own family, to satisfy this part of the marriage agreement. Many girls are too young to become pregnant and give birth without life-threatening complications. “An estimated 14 million girls between the ages of 15 and 19 give birth each year. They are twice as likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth as women in their 20s. Girls who marry between the ages of 10 and 14 are five times as likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth as women in their early 20s” (Child Marriage). This is just one of the consequences of arranged child marriage.

     Domestic abuse is a common household occurrence in many child marriages, including but not limited to physical, psychological, and sexual abuse. Child brides have a greater risk of contracting AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, and the girls are generally denied access or are too poor for hospital care. The children that the child brides have lead no better lives (Child Marriage).
     Child marriage strips away fundamental rights of the children involved. “Rights undermined or lost by children forced to marry early are: The right to an education. The right to be protected from physical and mental violence... 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. The right to not be separated from parents against the child's will. The right to protection against all forms of exploitation affecting any aspect of the child’s welfare. The right to eventual employment” (Child Marriages). All of these rights that we take for granted are considered unattainable dreams to the victims of child marriage.

    The life of a young girl trapped in a child marriage can never be fully understood. Those with the right of choice and liberty can’t completely comprehend the pain, stress, violence, and the overall nightmare of being a child bride. We can only listen to the stories of the girls who lived through it. The following, provided by ‘Child Marriages: Facts, Causes, and Consequences,’ is a truthful testimonial from a woman who was a child bride:

     I was married to a nine-year-old boy when I was three. At that point of time, I was unaware of marriages. I don't even remember my marriage event. I just remember that as I was too young, and was unable to walk, they had to carry me and bring me over to their place. Getting married at an early age, I was destined to suffer a lot of hardships. I had to carry water in a small clay-pot in the mornings. I had to sweep and swap the floor everyday.
      Those were the days when I wanted to eat good food and wear pretty clothes. I used to feel very hungry, but I had to be satisfied with the amount of food that I was provided. I never got to eat enough. I sometimes secretly ate corns, soybeans, etc. that used to grow in the field. And if I was caught eating, my in-laws and husband would beat me up accusing me of stealing from the field and eating. Sometimes the villagers used to give me food and if my husband and in-laws found out, they used to beat me up accusing me of stealing food from the house. They used to give me one black blouse and a cotton sari1 torn into two pieces. I had to wear these for two years.
     Never did I get other accessories like petticoats, belts etc. When my saris got torn, I used to patch them up and continue wearing them. My husband married three times after me. At present, he lives with his youngest wife. Since I married at an early age, early child-delivery was inevitable. As a result, I now have severe back problems. I used to weep a lot and consequently, I faced problems with my eyes and had to undergo an eye operation. I often think that if I had the power to think like I do now, I would never go to that house.
     I also wish I had not given birth to any children. Retrospective sufferings make me wish not to see my husband again. Nevertheless, I do not want him to die because I don't want to lose my marital status.
 
     Girls Not Brides, a dedicated organization, has developed a unique perspective and plan for ending child marriage permanently throughout the world. Called the Theory of Change, their plan is four-fold: empowering the young girls in child marriages or at risk of becoming a child bride, engaging families and communities to change this tragic tradition, providing services and protecting the girls, and lastly, implementing effective and rigid laws against child marriage. Girls Not Brides suggests many ways for people to get involved, from donating to volunteering, but mainly they suggest raising your voice against child marriage.
 
     If you ask anyone, most likely they’d be adamant about how horrible child marriage is. “That’s terrible,” they’ll probably say, before falling silent or changing the subject. Child marriage is not a topic people are comfortable with for obvious reasons, but being quiet about this issue won’t resolve anything. Raise your voice loud against child marriage because those girls need much more than politically correct silence.