One Day Flower Girl, Next Day Bride : The Harmful Practice of Child Marriage
At the age of twelve, most girls are in the sixth grade and still think boys have cooties. However, some girls in developing countries are being married and are considered an adult at this young age. Child marriage is marriage before the legal age of 18. It significantly affects more girls than boys and girls usually marry much older men. Although child marriage is not prevalent in the United States, it does affect many developing countries around the world. Statistics and facts show that child marriage is an extremely harmful practice (UNICEF). Not only is child marriage harmful to those involved but it is also harmful to countries where it is prevalent. This paper …show more content…
However, females are more likely to be married at a young age and therefore, are more negatively affected. Child marriages can lead to a number of health risks for girls. Once a girl is married she is expected to have sexual intercourse and bear children no matter what age she is. This sometimes means girls are having sex before their bodies are fully developed. This can be very dangerous during pregnancy and childbirth. The organization, Girls Not Brides, states that the leading cause of death for girls ages 15-19 are complications in pregnancy and childbirth. This organization also states that babies born to a mother that is younger than age 20 are 50% more likely to die in the first week after birth than those whose mothers are older than 20. The article, Child Marriage: What We Know, found that child brides are more likely to receive a sexually transmitted disease, such as AIDS or HIV. Young girls are too young and uneducated to practice safe sex, allowing these diseases to spread. This article also states that young girls are more susceptible to STDs. According to Child Marriage: What We Know, it is not uncommon for child brides to experience sexual, physical, and psychological violence. This can lead to post-traumatic stress and depression (PBS). Stephanie Sinclair’s video, The Bride Price: Consequences of Child Marriage Worldwide, shows just how harmful child marriage can be. This video shows pictures …show more content…
Child marriages not only negatively affects those married at a young age but also negatively affects societies where it is prevalent. Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, India stated that, “Child marriage is a social menace. It is a socioeconomic problem” (Council on Foreign Relations). Child marriages continues the cycle of poverty. Girls who are married at a young age drop out of school to take care of their husbands family. Therefore, they never get a job and are unable to make money to support themselves or their community (Council on Foreign Relations). The first step to ending poverty in these developing countries is ending child marriages and keeping girls in
At the age of twelve, most girls are in the sixth grade and still think boys have cooties. However, some girls in developing countries are being married and are considered an adult at this young age. Child marriage is marriage before the legal age of 18. It significantly affects more girls than boys and girls usually marry much older men. Although child marriage is not prevalent in the United States, it does affect many developing countries around the world. Statistics and facts show that child marriage is an extremely harmful practice (UNICEF). Not only is child marriage harmful to those involved but it is also harmful to countries where it is prevalent. This paper …show more content…
However, females are more likely to be married at a young age and therefore, are more negatively affected. Child marriages can lead to a number of health risks for girls. Once a girl is married she is expected to have sexual intercourse and bear children no matter what age she is. This sometimes means girls are having sex before their bodies are fully developed. This can be very dangerous during pregnancy and childbirth. The organization, Girls Not Brides, states that the leading cause of death for girls ages 15-19 are complications in pregnancy and childbirth. This organization also states that babies born to a mother that is younger than age 20 are 50% more likely to die in the first week after birth than those whose mothers are older than 20. The article, Child Marriage: What We Know, found that child brides are more likely to receive a sexually transmitted disease, such as AIDS or HIV. Young girls are too young and uneducated to practice safe sex, allowing these diseases to spread. This article also states that young girls are more susceptible to STDs. According to Child Marriage: What We Know, it is not uncommon for child brides to experience sexual, physical, and psychological violence. This can lead to post-traumatic stress and depression (PBS). Stephanie Sinclair’s video, The Bride Price: Consequences of Child Marriage Worldwide, shows just how harmful child marriage can be. This video shows pictures …show more content…
Child marriages not only negatively affects those married at a young age but also negatively affects societies where it is prevalent. Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, India stated that, “Child marriage is a social menace. It is a socioeconomic problem” (Council on Foreign Relations). Child marriages continues the cycle of poverty. Girls who are married at a young age drop out of school to take care of their husbands family. Therefore, they never get a job and are unable to make money to support themselves or their community (Council on Foreign Relations). The first step to ending poverty in these developing countries is ending child marriages and keeping girls in