Introduction:EarlyMarriageiscommonallovertheglobeandhasinflicteddangerousand
devastatingeffectsonyoungchildrenwhoarecompelledtotietheknotinmostcases.Inmany
partsoftheworld,oneandtopofthemaincauseofEarlyMarriageisagratificationfor
overcomingthefamily’sfinancialandsocialneeds.MostEarlyMarriagesareconsideredtobe
forcedwhichistruebutchildrenenteringintoanEarlyMarriageoutofchoiceshouldalsobe
warnedofvariouspersonalandhealthissuesthatcancomplicatetheirlivesforever.
Earlymarriagebeforetheageof18yearsisaviolationofanumberofinternationalhumanrights
conventions.However,formanyyounggirlsindevelopingcountriesmarriageisperceivedasa
meansofsecuringtheirfutureandprotectingthem.Girlsareforcedintomarriagebytheir
familieswhiletheyarestillchildreninthehopethatmarriagewillbenefitthem bothfinancially
andsocially.Onthecontrary,earlymarriagesviolatetherightsofchildrenwithoftenmore
negativeconsequencesforgirls.Thiscompromisestheiroveralldevelopment,leavingthem
sociallyisolatedwithlittleeducation,skillsandopportunitiesforemploymentandself-realization.
Theseconditionsultimatelymakemarriedgirlsvulnerabletopoverty.
StatementoftheProblems
Therearenumerousproblemsacouplecanfacewhenmarriagehappensatanearlyageforthem.
Earlymarriagewhichisalsoreferredtoaschildmarriageiscommonallovertheglobeandhas
inflicteddangerousanddevastatingeffectsonyoungchildrenwhoarecompelledtotietheknot
inmostcases.
Childmarriageisalsoindicativeofthelevelsofdevelopmentofaregionorcountryandis
generallyconductedbetweenveryyounggirlsandoldermen.Inmanypartsoftheworldchild
marriageisagratificationforovercomingthefamily’sfinancialandsocialneeds.
Causesofearlymarriage
Earlymarriagecanariseduetoanumberofreasonssuchasthese:
#Toraisetheeconomicandsocialstatus.
#Religioushurdlesandbarriers.
#Genderbiaspromotesearlymarriageofgirls.
#Lackofeducation.
#Mythsandmisconceptionsaboutearlymarriage.
#Pressuresfromoldermembersofthefamilyandcommunity.
#Thenotionthatearlypregnancyleadstolargerfamiliesandhenceprovidingforheirstothe
throne.
#Somecommunitiesregardtheirgirlchildrenasaburdenandthinkofgettingridofthem by
marryingthemoffearlyinapatriarchalsociety.
Harmfuleffectsofearlymarriage:
Earlymarriagecancausesevereproblemslikethefollowing:
*Psychologicalandemotionalstresslikeforcedsexualrelations,denialoffreedom andpersonal
developmentashouseholdchoresnowbecomeapriority.
*Denialofpersonaldevelopmentandeducation.
*Maturitylevelsbecomeanissueasthelittlegirlisnowexpectedtoplaytheroleofamother.
*Girlchildrenundergoseverehealthproblemslikepregnancyandchildbirth.
*Girlbridesarealsoinvolvedinearlychildhoodcare.
*Threattocontractingsexuallytransmitteddiseasesincreaseswhengirlchildrenareexposedto
suchanenvironment.
*Asgirlchildrenarestillvulnerableandsubmissive,theycanbesubjecttotheatrocitiesof
domesticviolenceandabandonment.
*Mentalandemotionalstressingirlbridesishighbecausetheyarenotoldenoughtocopewith
maternal,maritalorinlawissues.
ThoughtherespectiveGovernmentsandsocietyisdoingmuchtoabolishearlyorchildmarriage
throughcampaigns,laws,policiesandindividualsupportofpeople,itisstillafarreachingdream
foryounggirlswhoarestillrepeatedlyforcedintosuchliaisons.
Earlymarriageshavestretchedfarandwidethroughtimeandcountriesandfinallyreached
Americaaswellwherechildrenintheirmid-teensaretakingindependentstepsoftyingtheknot
withtheirpartners.Mostearlymarriagesareconsideredtobeforcedwhichistruebutchildren
enteringintoanearlymarriageoutofchoiceshouldalsobewarnedofvariouspersonaland
healthissuesthatcancomplicatetheirlivesforever.
ObjectiveofEarlymarriage
Specificobjectivesare:
Toincreaseawarenessandeducationatthecommunitylevelonthenegativeeffectsofearly
marriage;
Topromotegirls'educationthroughtheprovisionofeducationalsubsidies;...
Tooffsettheeconomicgainsmadeinmarriagetransactionsthroughtheprovisionofcommunity
incentives.
Methodology
MethodsOfsocialResearch
InterviewMethod
CaseStudyMethod
Sampling
Samplesize:100
Method:PurposiveSampling

Early marriage