CHILD MARRIAGE MUST BE STOPPED
Child marriages were
common in human history of the world. Princess Emilia of Saxony, who was the
daughter of Duke Henry of Saxony and his wife Catherine of Mecklenburg, in
1533, at the age of 16 years, married George the Pious, Margrave of
Brandenburg-Ansbach and then 48 years old. Before modern history, child marriage
was common everywhere in the world but with the advent of the 20th
century, immense decline has been observed around the globe. It is not worthy
to mention that although the ratio of child marriages is declining across the
world some countries in Africa and Asia still allow child marriages due to
various reasons.
At first glance, it is
pertinent to first find out what is meant by marriage in plain words. According
to the UNICEF report of 2011 defines child marriage as a formal marriage or
informal union of individuals before reaching the age of competency, which is
normally 18 years. In 2013 the first
United Nations Human Rights Council resolution against child, early and forced
marriages was adopted. It recognizes child marriage as a human rights violation
and pledges to eliminate the practice as part of the UN post 2015 global
development agenda. Child marriage is observed in almost every country in
Africa and Asia except some. It is a reality for boys and girls both but girls
are the most affected by the practice, most of whom are in poor socioeconomic situation.
It was claimed that the
rate of marriage of eight to 13 years old girls exceeds 50% in the northwest
regions of Pakistan. another custom in Pakistan, called vani, involves village
elders solving family disputes or settling unpaid debts by marrying off girls. The
average marriage age of swara girls is between five and nine. Similarly the
custom of watta satta has been cited as a cause of child marriages in Pakistan.
according to the population council, 35%
of all females in Pakistan become mothers before they reach the age of
18 and 67 percent have experienced pregnancy out of which 69 percent have given birth before they reach the age of
19. Less than four percent married girls below the age of 19 had some say in
choosing her spouse, over 80% were married to a near or distant relative.
Child marriage rates in
Bangladesh are amongst the highest in the world. Every two out of three
marriages involve children. According to
statistics from 2005 , 45 percent of women then between 25 percent and 29
percent had been married by the age of 15 in Bangladesh. According to the State
of the World’s Children 2009, all women aged 20 to 24 were married before they
were 18. The ministry of women and children’s affairs in making progress in
increasing women’s education and employment opportunities. This combined with
specific education about child marriage and cooperation with religious leaders
is hoped to decrease child marriage.
In culmination it is
submitted that child marriage is a reality and there is a need to enact laws
that prohibit child marriages. This child marriage ratio is much higher in the
subcontinent but even exists in Europe and the US. It is further said that
child marriage is a violation of human rights in the advanced world. The constitution
of Pakistan demands equality and promises no discrimination at all but child marriages
happen in Pakistan every day, which shows that the social structure of Pakistan
has not reached the point where it considers child marriages to be prohibited
unions.
