Ohchr child, early and forced marriage, including in. Child marriage is one of the biggest human rights violations in the world. Agency for international development in nigeria, and the. Child, early and forced marriage occur throughout the world, in both high and lowincome countries. In 2016, child marriage still remains a global issue. Costs are lower and gains are higher when marriage occurs at an early age. The universal basic education act 2004 14 mandates free and compulsory education. Child marriage statistics show child brides have a diminished chance of completing their education and are at a higher risk of being physically abused, contracting hiv and other diseases, and dying while pregnant or giving. May 06, 2015 child marriage undermines nearly every millennium development goal. This includes child and early marriage, as people under 18 are not able to give full consent. In subsaharan africa, a staggering 40 percent of girls marry before age 18, and african countries account for 15 of the 20 countries with the highest rates of child marriage. Some of the causes of early marriage in nigeria include conflict, poverty, religion, and tradition. Pdf child marriage is often deployed as a response to crisis, considered by.
By international conventions, 18 years has been established as the legal age of consent to marriage. Early marriage forces girls into adulthood before they are emotionally and physically matured, leading to a range of harmful effects on their health, education. Legality of child marriage in nigeria and inhibitions against realisation of education rights kayode olatunbosun fayokun early marriage forces girls into adulthood before they are emotionally and physically matured, leading to a range of harmful effects on their health, education, economic and social development. The prevalence of child marriage in west africa is one of the highest in the global south. Adopting life course family development perspectives on adolescent sexuality, we examine the linkages between the timing of union formation and childbearing across multiple. Boys are also affected by child marriage but the issue impacts girls in far larger numbers and with more intensity. Human rights recognizes the right to free and full consent to a marriage. In case of nigeria for example, under 21 and 23 of the child rights act, marriage before the age of 18 is illegal toyo, 2006. Although the nigerian government has tried to stamp out child marriage with the enactment of the child rights act 2003 cra, the practice of child marriage is still very prevalent among the hausafulani predominant muslim tribe who occupy northern nigeria and where sharia law is in force. Many girls and a smaller number of boys are married without their free and full consent. Although the definition of child marriage includes boys, most children married at in nigeria were married before they turned 18, the practice of child marriage was more rampant in the northern part of nigeria, with figures as high as 76 per cent. Nigeria has one of the highest child marriage prevalence rates in the world.
Child marriage briefing nigeria population council. The causes, consequences and solutions to forced child. Identifying forced marriage presumes a common notion of consent that may, in reality, differ according to cultural attitudes. According to usaid, forced marriage is a marriage at any age that occurs without the free and full consent of one or both spouses.
Child marriage a practice driven by poverty international. Some as young as 8 or 9 are forced to trade their childhoods for a life that can be defined by isolation, violence and illness. Nigeria is the third country worldwide for absolute number of. Ending child marriage, a guide for global policy action nawal m.
Health consequences of child marriage in africa omct in partnership with the centre for law enforcement education 2005. Jun 12, 2014 there are other complex factors that have led to the continual and persistent subsistence of the practice of child marriage in nigeria. A child marriage is considered to be a form of forced marriage, given that one andor both parties. Each day, 25,000 girls are married and an anticipated 100 million girls. Child marriage, defined as marriage of a child under 18 years of age, is a silent and yet widespread practice. Child marriage prevalence is the percentage of women aged 20 to 24 years who. Identify government aid towards the stopping of early marriage in nigeria. In addition, we plea with the government to implement policies for free health care and free education for girls in particular in rural and poor. Dec 12, 2016 child marriage a practice driven by poverty. Yet, much of what we know about the harmful effects of early marriage and why it persists comes from research on south asia.
The facts on child marriage international womens health. Child marriage, or early marriage, is any marriage where at least one of the parties is under 18 years of age. However some countries allow marriages at 16 years as well, especially for the girl children. The practice of child marriage in nigeria huffpost. Ending child marriage will help break the intergenerational cycle of poverty by allowing girls and women to participate more fully in society. One third of the girls in developing countries are married before the age of 18, while about one in nine are married before attaining age 15.
Child marriage and polygamy play an important role in another deadly disease, cervical cancer. Nigeria is the 11th highest nation in the world for percentage of child marriages. Several surveys show that many young girls are married without their free and full. Jun 01, 2016 the people who held opinion against child marriage were critical of the view in line with section 29 4 of the constitution of the federal republic of nigeria which defines full age to mean age of eighteen years and above federal republic of nigeria 2012. Child marriage violates the rights of the girl child to be free from all forms of discrimination, inhuman and degrading treatment, and slavery. This brochure explores the data and statistics behind those stories. So, even though the country as a whole is bound by federal law and the nigerian constitution and i use the word bound very loosely. The article refers to a recent article on child marriage in nigeria, published in this journal, as a broad context to examine two issues. However, poverty, and the fact that the female child is seen, almost as, dispensable property are one of the main reasons why child marriage is predominant in nigeria. In 2017 in nigeria, 43% of girls are married off before the age of 18. This can partly be explained because nigeria is very much divided on religious grounds.
Idowu there can be no keener revelation of a societys soul than the way in which it treats its children. Empowered and educated girls are better able to nourish and care for their children, leading to healthier, smaller families. It is no coincidence that the same countries in africa, asia and the middle east that have high. Nigeria is the third country worldwide for absolute number of child brides united nations population fund unfpa. Wasila, 14, was given out in marriage to umar sani, 35, in gezawa, outside the northern city of kano in april, 2014. In short, child marriage is an infringement on the right of the girls to their dignity and freedom. Child marriage and the ghanaian girl fxb center for. The child can be a girl or a boy, but the large majority of child marriages are between a girl and a man, and are rooted in gender inequality. Although the age of majority legal adulthood and marriageable age are usually designated at age 18, both vary. Forcedchild marriage may take a variety of forms, but should be distinguished from arranged marriages. Kenya ratified the convention on the rights of the child in 1990, which sets a minimum age of marriage of 18, and acceded to the convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women cedaw in 1984, which obligates states to ensure free and full consent to marriage. Although many african nations do not have the capacity to adequately or effectively screen for cervical cancer or hpv, the incidence of cervical cancer in africa is estimated to be extremely high. Child marriages in india the red elephant foundation december 20 e 4 introduction child marriage refers to the marriage of a child younger than 18 years old,1 in accordance to article 1 of the convention on the right of the child.
Identify the effect of early marriage on the academic performance on girl child. Child marriage is caused by the tyranny of poverty. According to the organisation girls not brides, while 45 per cent of girls in nigeria were married before they turned 18, the practice of child marriage was more rampant in the northern part of nigeria, with figures as high as 76 per cent. Early marriage and forced marriage is most common in subsaharan africa where 38% of girls become child brides. Primarily driven by poverty and economic status, the practice also relies on cultural, traditional and religious motives. Although the nigerian government has tried to stamp out child marriage with the enactment of the child rights act 2003 cra, the practice of child marriage is still very prevalent among the hausafulani predominant muslim tribe who occupy northern nigeria and where sharia law is. Among girls growing up in south asia, 30% experience early marriage, compared with 25% in latin america and the caribbean.
According to adebambo 2010, child marriages are mostly conducted without the valid consent of one or both parties and are a marriage in duress. Early marriage, cohabitation, and childbearing in west africa. The aim of this study is to use grounded theory methods to develop a theory about how children are been abused and the consequences of these abuse in nigeria with specific reference to niger delta region. Child marriage is a marriage or similar union, formal or informal, between an adult and a child under a certain age, typically age eighteen. The passion to help people achieve their dreams of becoming a professional counselor birthed this vision. Pdf research proposal the consequences of child abuse in.
The universal basic education act 2004 14 mandates free and compulsory education for all children up to junior. Institute of counseling was founded in 2010 as a christian based, not for profit independent educational charity. Niger ratified the convention on the rights of the child in 1990, which sets a minimum age of marriage of 18, and acceded to the convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women cedaw in 1999, which obligates states to ensure free and full consent to marriage. In simple terms, child marriage is the marriage of a person aged before majority. When girls are allowed to be girls, everybody wins.
We now have the greatest number of married girls and girls atrisk of child marriage than ever before. The case for improved coordination between ending child marriage and girls education movements in west africa. Child, early and forced marriage, including in humanitarian. Islamic responses to the raging debate of child marriage. Every year 15 millions girls get married before the age of 18. Fragile states eight out of ten countries with the highest child marriage rates are considered fragile states. This paper analyses the different legal frameworks and human rights dimensions of child marriage within a feminist perspective.
The association for reproductive and family health hereby calls on the federal government of nigeria to amend the national constitution to criminalize child marriage and child abuse holistically. Threequarters of girls in niger are married before they are adults. In most of the countries the minimum legal age for the child marriage is 18 years. Teenagers, teenage pregnancy, pregnancy, sex, health. Pdf the article refers to a recent article on child marriage in nigeria, published in. Child marriage is a complex and controversial issue in nigeria and may be. List of books and articles about child marriage online.
Child marriage is a fundamental viola tion of human rights. Rates are 17% in the middle east and north africa, and 11% in eastern europe and central asia. Islamic responses to the raging debate of child marriage in. Ending child marriage in africa human rights watch. Pdf research proposal the consequences of child abuse. The practice of child marriage in nigeria is prevalent. The share of girls marrying very early, before the age of 15. Jul 27, 2017 child marriage among girls is most common in south asia and subsaharan africa. The case of wasila tasiu umar, the 14yearold nigerian child bride standing murder trial for killing her husband again raises the issue of the legality of child marriage in nigeria. Nigeria ratified the convention on the rights of the child in 1991, which sets a minimum age of marriage of 18, and the convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women cedaw in 1985, which obligates states to ensure free and full consent to marriage. The share of women ages 1822 who married as children is 42.
Should be able to tell if early marriage is higher in. Dimension, reasons for its persistence and probable solutions olaitan o. The causes, consequences and solutions to forced child marriage. Child marriage and the ghanaian girl fxb center for health. Introduction child marriage refers to any marriage of a child younger than eighteen years old, in accordance to article 1 of the convention of the right of the child. Rights of the child in nigeria, a report on the implementation of the. Why ending child marriage needs to be an education goal. Nepal has the third highest rate of child marriage in asia, with 37 percent of girls marrying before age 18, and 10 percent marrying before the age of 15, despite the fact that the minimum age of. Child marriage among girls is most common in south asia and subsaharan africa. If present trends continue, more than 140 million girls will be.
However, the 1948 universal declaration of human rights udhr recognizes that the right to free and full consent to a marriage cannot indeed be free and full when one of. Child marriage undermines nearly every millennium development goal. Rights of the child in nigeria, a report on the implementation of the convention on the rights of the child by nigeria. Education and human development may lead to fewer child brides by docksai, rick the futurist, vol. A 2017 world bank study estimates that child marriage costs nigeria usd7. International human rights standards recognize the right of women and girls to live free from physical, mental, and sexual violence. Forced marriages are marriages in which one andor both parties have not personally expressed their full and free consent to the union. Forced child marriage is a lifechanging reality for many of the worlds girls. Overview of child marriage child marriage briefing nigeria child marriage is a fundamental violation of human rights. Thus early child marriage can be considered a subset of forced marriage, while forced marriage also encompasses adult unions.
Child marriage essay introduction causes impact imp days. To know the general attitude of the public towards early marriage. Unicef s innocenti research centre published the digest early marriage. Child spouses in 2001, exploring both the reasons behind the perpetuation of child marriage and its harmful impact.
The people who held opinion against child marriage were critical of the view in line with section 29 4 of the constitution of the federal republic of nigeria which defines full age to mean age of eighteen years and above federal republic of nigeria 2012. Early child marriage in nigeria child marriage customs, a situation whereby children are given into marriage well before they attain puberty occur all over the world particularly in africa, asia, and south america. Today, over 60 million marriages include girls under the age of 18 years. Data shows a 9% decline in the prevalence of child marriage compared to 2003.
The south is mainly christian and the north is principally islam. Child marriage is most common in rural areas 100 80 50 10 90 60 20 70 30 40 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 rural urban child marriage is more common in rural areas child marriage is more common in urban areas togo suriname ghana guyana peru senegal nigeria 15. The study suggested adequate parental care, eradication of street hawking and inculcation of moral values through religious bodies as ways of reducing teenage pregnancy in nigeria. Getting married before reaching at this minimum legal age is not only illegal but also against. Niger is a focus country of the unicefunfpa global.
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