Everything around us tells us that we have stepped into the 21st century. Until you see a 10 year old bride on the TV screen. Around two months ago, this issue surfaced on one of the news channels: a young bride was holding the hand of her 16 year old husband in their wedding. Childhood interrupted and adulthood thrust on them long before they were ready for it.
Majority of the child marriages occur in West and East African and South Asian poverty stricken families. Over the next decade another 100 million girls will become child brides.
Legally the age of marriage is 18 for girls and 21 for boys but in rural areas, majority of the girls are married at a very young age. In Rajasthan alone, 82% of the girls are married by the age of 18, 15% of the girls in rural areas are married before the age of 13 and 15% percent of them go through their first pregnancy between the ages of 15 and 19.
Girls who become pregnant under the age of 18 are five times more likely to die in childbirth than women who give birth in their 20s. Since many girls often marry older men with more sexual experience, child brides face a higher risk of contracting HIV. Child marriage also endangers the mental health of a girl as a child bride experiences a higher incidence of domestic violence, marital abuse (including physical, sexual or psychological abuse) and abandonment.
Children are helpless because they are a group for whom decisions are taken by others.They are too young and innocent to understand all this. But to curb this problem of child marriage, parents and the adults have to change their mindsets. Task forces should be appointed by the Govt. or NGOs and each force should be sent to a different area where the people should be told about the above mentioned ill effects of child marriages. They can also show them documentaries and make them meet famous and successful women so that their thinking can be changed. Even we can contribute by educating our maids and servants regarding the after-effects of a child marriage. Steps should be taken to eradicate poverty at all levels because child marriage has its roots in poverty. No doubt this will involve huge sums of money but the future of our younger generation is at stake and what is at stake is much more costly than the funds required.
Majority of the child marriages occur in West and East African and South Asian poverty stricken families. Over the next decade another 100 million girls will become child brides.
Legally the age of marriage is 18 for girls and 21 for boys but in rural areas, majority of the girls are married at a very young age. In Rajasthan alone, 82% of the girls are married by the age of 18, 15% of the girls in rural areas are married before the age of 13 and 15% percent of them go through their first pregnancy between the ages of 15 and 19.
Girls who become pregnant under the age of 18 are five times more likely to die in childbirth than women who give birth in their 20s. Since many girls often marry older men with more sexual experience, child brides face a higher risk of contracting HIV. Child marriage also endangers the mental health of a girl as a child bride experiences a higher incidence of domestic violence, marital abuse (including physical, sexual or psychological abuse) and abandonment.
Children are helpless because they are a group for whom decisions are taken by others.They are too young and innocent to understand all this. But to curb this problem of child marriage, parents and the adults have to change their mindsets. Task forces should be appointed by the Govt. or NGOs and each force should be sent to a different area where the people should be told about the above mentioned ill effects of child marriages. They can also show them documentaries and make them meet famous and successful women so that their thinking can be changed. Even we can contribute by educating our maids and servants regarding the after-effects of a child marriage. Steps should be taken to eradicate poverty at all levels because child marriage has its roots in poverty. No doubt this will involve huge sums of money but the future of our younger generation is at stake and what is at stake is much more costly than the funds required.
The Author is an executive member of the Webteam of DevelopmentChannel.org
No comments:
Post a Comment