How child brides represent violence against humanity
Kanie Siu says a data revolution to help the world keep track of its goals on gender equality and empowering girls would be a step forward in transforming young lives
Child marriage is a violation of human rights and detrimental to a girl’s development. For centuries, child marriage has robbed millions of girls of their rights to education, a healthy childhood and their power to escape poverty. In late August, I visited some child brides in Cambodia and witnessed the damaging outcomes of child marriage.
Eighteen-year-old Sanuth told me her story in tears. Sanuth dropped out of school and got married at 16, to build a better livelihood for the family and send her brother to school. Yet, life has not become easier. Sanuth became pregnant at 17 and is now mother to a four-month-old girl. Unable to return to school because of her marital status, Sanuth is left with the burden of raising her child and taking care of the entire family, with little chance of escaping poverty.
Sanuth’s story is typical for girls in Ratanakiri, one of Cambodia’s least developed provinces, where 59 per cent are married by the age of 15. In fact, child marriage is widely practised in many parts of the world, especially in less developed regions. To date, our world is home to an estimated 720 million child brides.
Educating girls can help break the cycle of child marriage
Child marriage is often a result of intersecting factors, including gender discrimination, poverty, the lack of effective child protection policy and traditional cultural practices. Research indicates that girls with no education are three times as likely to marry by 18 as those with a secondary or higher education. However, in the developing world, many parents do not see the value of educating girls, as girls are expected to stay at home and care for the family. Some also falsely believe that marrying off girls early can protect them from sexual violence. The lack of robust legal and policy framework in some countries are also factors.
Too much, much too young
Child brides are often denied the opportunity to go to school due to cultural practices and social pressure. Without proper education and vocational training, girls married too young are robbed of their power to build a better future, and consequently are trapped in the cycle of poverty. The lack of sexual and reproductive knowledge also exposes girls to the threats of domestic violence, sexual exploitation and sexually transmitted diseases.