Underage brides: killing the future initiatives of Girls.

How would you feel if you get married off at the age of 12, and get pregnant being the wife of a 75-year-old man?

Would you want to go through a caesarean session before giving birth?
Would you want all your dreams all your years of dreaming to become a successful person in the future halted?

Every individual has a gift or purpose in this world and why should other gifts be captured or killed because of marriage?

In this 21st century, I believe you wouldn’t want any of your children to be married off to men before the age of 18.
Child marriage is dominant in the world and Ghana, especially in the Northern Region. Ghana Statistical Service, about 79,733 children in Ghana between the ages of 12 to 17 are married or in a union.

The definition of child marriage is the practice whereby children are married off before the age of 18 with or without consent. There are various socio-economic and cultural factors that contribute to marriages which are forced and arranged on children in the country.

One such factor is poverty. It is most surprising that child marriages usually happen in villages and less endowed communities. In the country. Most parents in these areas see it as normal to get their children into early marriages. This assumption is basically built on the fact that they went through the same process due to poverty built on tradition.

the same arranged marriage. She explained to me that, the father needed money badly and hence she was to be used as collateral for the borrowed money. Talata had no other option than to agree to marry and become the third wife to a 55year old dying man.

Empowering girls economically is an important factor in ensuring that early child marriages are prevented.

Another socioeconomic factor is the lack of education. About 90% of girls forced into marriages before the age of 18 come from uneducated backgrounds. It is uncommon to see educated girls not fight for their rights when asked to get married at a tender age. Education in this sense is a denominator for individuals to know their rights.

‘Education, not marriage is the key to a successful life for a child’ and hence education should be promoted in the communities. The mentality about education is mainly ignorance. The more children get to know about their rights the better it will be to get them emancipated.

Prevention of Premarital sex as a society has termed as Chastity is another precursor of child marriages in Ghanaian societies.

Traditionally, some families in Ghanaian society think that premarital sex brings shame to the family and hence child marriages are encouraged. Chastity has been part of Ghanaian morals and culture for decades and hence most parents in rural areas do not like the situation whereby their kids will get pregnant before marriage.

The solution they think is best for their children is to have them married off at a tender age.

Curbing Teenage Pregnancy should be a mantra in helping to prevent child marriages.

The notion that marriage equals the status of women should be changed as it has affected many young girls who are yet to know what the world has for them.

source: Alhassan Zariatu