Early or child marriage is defined as the marriage or union
between two people in which one or both parties are younger than years. In this
part of the world some parents often think or feel that a young girl is an
economic burden and therefore wish to marry her off before they become an
economic liability. Early marriage is a violation of the right of the Girl
child and also a global issue which is quite common in African and Asia.
Parents give their younger children out for marriage forgetting the consequences
it brings about both in this generation and the next. It affects the education of the child as well
as his well-being. Early marriage can be a violation to the basic rights of the
child which are good health, education and decision making about their lives. Effect
of child marriage can be manifest in several ways which are: One of the effects
of early marriage is ending a girl’s childhood, her education; sabotages her economic opportunities,
subjects her to risk of domestic violence, and puts her at risk for early,
frequent and very high risk pregnancies. Not to forget that it leads to poverty
and serious negative impact on their health.
1. Another effect
of early marriage on children is the inability to plan or manage families
because they are children themselves. They become young and immature mothers who
lack the ability to control their own children, and they have less ability to
make decisions about their nutrition, health care and lack household management.
2. Marital
instability: because of the age differences and the attendant of poor
communication, many early marriages end in divorce or separation.
3. Physical and
sexual abuse: out of fear of her parents and social stigma as well and the poverty
associated with being single; many child wives are compelled to remain in a
loveless and violent marriage
4. Teenage life:
missing out on the fun of teenage life and being young. The drudgeries of
married life can weigh heavily on the immature minds. This affects the growth
of individuals and in most cases they do not turn up to be responsible
citizens.
5. Children life:
according to statistics, children born out of teenage mothers tend to drop out
of high school, get lower scores at school, suffer from health issues, are
unemployed and they themselves are prone to be married early. Early marriage is
not a way out of poverty; early marriage should not be encouraged.
By Maimuna Bagudu
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