It is estimated that “it will take another 300 years until child marriage is eliminated” based on data collected by UNICEF.^[1] According to recent estimates, around 640 million girls and women have been married in childhood.^[1] Although progress has been made to reduce the prevalence of child marriage globally, more efforts are needed to eradicate this social justice issue. 

Child marriage is a critical health and human rights issue, which disproportionately affects women who are forced into marriage at a young age. Although boys and male adolescents who are forced to get married are also impacted by the harmful consequences of child marriage, researchers^[2] reveal that the overall prevalence of child marriage is significantly higher among girls than boys. Moreover, females can be more susceptible to certain adverse outcomes associated with child marriage, namely, pregnancy complications and domestic violence. Interestingly, some countries have different laws regarding what age males and females can get married, which could further contribute to the prevalence of child marriage. For instance, in Iran, girls can get married at 13 years of age and boys at 15.^[2] It is beneficial to consider how the justice systems of countries across the globe have deemed different ages appropriate for marriage among males and females, as it could also perpetuate gender inequity and affect public perceptions of marriage. 

Research^[3] has discovered that teen pregnancy can especially increase the risks of infections like malaria and HIV. Pregnant girls and teenagers are also more prone to eclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage, and death during childbirth. Besides risks during pregnancy and childbirth, child marriage can lead to increases in sexually transmitted diseases as well as the development of cervical cancer. Child marriage does not only affect physical health but also mental health and emotional well-being. Frequently, newly married couples face societal pressure to start a family. As a result, many girls experience sexual abuse and domestic violence^[4] since they are expected to become pregnant and give birth right after marriage. This, in turn, can cause severe trauma and suffering as well as lead to mental health concerns such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder throughout their lives. 

Along with threats to health and wellness, child marriage often causes women to lose educational opportunities and economic independence. This can create a harmful trap for girls and young women trying to leave their marriages but may be facing barriers due to a lack of affordability for basic needs such as food and housing. Many girls and young women have to give up on their academic interests and career pursuits, and instead focus on domestic work and trying to prove their fertility.^[3] As a result, child marriage can further contribute to gender disparities and inequity in higher education and the workforce, especially due to the underrepresentation of women. 

Although child marriage is still an issue that exists in our world today, efforts are continuing to address it, through both preventative efforts to help keep girls safe as well as resources for women who were married during childhood. The media has played an essential role in raising awareness of child marriage across the globe, especially by creating opportunities for girls and women impacted by child marriage to share their stories with the public. This, in turn, has also encouraged the public to take a stand against child marriage and promote advocacy efforts, such as increases in the legal age for marriage.^[3] Along with promoting awareness through media and improving laws, a major factor that has been found to prevent child marriage and its adverse consequences is education. Based on data from UNICEF^[5] providing girls with education and employment opportunities can directly impact generational poverty, which is often a leading factor behind why parents get their daughters married at a young age. Education can also empower girls and promote confidence while helping them secure employment opportunities in the future and become financially independent. Consequently, this can help prevent them from having to rely on their husband and in-laws’ wealth. Furthermore, research emphasizes the importance of providing adequate sex education in schools as it has been found to help promote safe sex practices,^[3] and it can help girls make better-informed decisions about their reproductive health and well-being. Therefore, girls’ rights to education must be ensured. All children must be protected from child marriage and its harmful consequences so that we can create a more equitable world where all children can grow up in safe environments that support diverse aspects of their health and well-being. 

References

[1] UNICEF. (2023, May 5). Is an End to Child Marriage within Reach?. UNICEF Data. https://data.unicef.org/resources/is-an-end-to-child-marriage-within-reach/ 

[2] Efevbera, Y., & Bhabha, J. (2020, October 15). Defining and deconstructing girl child marriage and applications to global public health. BioMed Central. https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-020-09545-0 

[3] Nour, N. M. (2009, Winter). Child Marriage: A Silent Health and Human Rights Issue. National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2672998/

[4] Güneş, M., Selcuk, H., Demir, S., İbiloğlu, A. O., Bulut, M., Kaya, M. C., Yılmaz, A., Atli, A., & Sır, A. (2016). Marital harmony and childhood psychological trauma in child marriage. Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. https://www.pbsciences.org/index.php?mno=222777 

[5] UNICEF. (2022, September 19). The power of education to end child marriage. UNICEF DATA. https://data.unicef.org/resources/child-marriage-and-education-data-brief/