Girls Not Property

GIRLS NOT PROPERTY
Girls Not Property;

The Oppression of Women Through Child Marriage
Zarah Kiley
Global Perspectives
GIRLS NOT PROPERTY 2
Table of Contents
Definition………………………………………………………………………………pg. 04-06
Significance………………………………………………………………………….....pg. 07-08
Background…………………………………………………………………………….pg. 09-13
Experts………………………………………………………..………………………..pg. 14-20
Mercy Akuot……………………………………….…………………………..pg. 14-16
Rebeca Gyumi…………………………………………………...………….....pg. 17-20
Role of Control………………………………………………………………………...pg. 21-24
Role of International Organizations…………………………………………………....pg. 25-28
Case Studies…………………………………………………………………………...pg. 29-39
India…………………………………………………………………………....pg. 29-33
Malawi…………………………………………………………………………pg. 34-39
Canadian Connections…………………………………………………………………pg. 40-42
Logic of Evil…………………………………………………………………………...pg. 43-46
Political Influences…………………………………………………………………….pg. 47-47
Religious Influences…………………………………………………………………...pg. 48-49
Solutions……………………………………………………………………………….pg. 50-52
Appendix………………………………………………………………………………pg . 53-58
Works Cited……………………………………………………………………………pg. 59-62
Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………...pg. 63-67
“We have to get community leaders to speak out against child marriage, and
we need families to make different decisions for their daughters.”
-Sonita Alizadeh; Afghan activist fighting forced child marriage
(“Meet Sonita Alizadeh,” 2015).

Definition
Child brides can be found in the darkest parts of every country, whether they are
impoverished or wealthy (“Child marriage around the World,” n.d.)(Refer to figure A1).
Worldwide, an estimated twelve million girls are married under the age of eighteen (“Child
Marriage around the World,” n.d.). The act of child marriage is considered a form of slavery
under article four of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article four states that no
one shall be held in slavery or servitude (“Universal Declaration,” n.d) (refer to Figure A2).
Although child marriage is considered a form of slavery, it is still deeply embedded in many
cultures. Those living in a world where child marriage is normalized see it as the only viable
option for young girls. However, some people seek to challenge this cultural practice. Sonita
Alizadeh is an Afghan rapper and activist who openly criticizes the practice of child marriage.
As Sonita Alizadeh explained in an interview about her life, her mother was a child bride and
never considered the implications of continuing the custom (“Meet Sonita Alizadeh,” 2015).
Many young girls are sold off as brides for many reasons, one being to pay the bride price for a
male family member’s wife (“Meet Sonita Alizadeh,” 2015).
UNICEF defines child marriage as “a marriage of a girl or boy before the age of 18 and
refers to both formal marriages and informal unions in which children under the age of 18 live
with a partner as if married.” (Girls Not Brides, n.d.). When a young girl is forced into married at
a young age, she faces heightened risk of experiencing dangerous complications during
pregnancy and childbirth, contracting HIV/AIDS, and suffering domestic violence. (“Impact of
Child Marriage,” n.d.). Being a child brides also suffer significant psychological trauma reflected
by a 41% increased risk of future mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD
(Pearson, 2011). Because of the possible adverse effects of sex and pregnancy in foreign
countries and increased risk of developing mental illnesses, child marriages strip young girls not
only of their innocence but possibly their futures or even their lives.
Around the world, millions of charities and organizations exist to fight a specific issue
or help specific people. Some charities overlap in their goals however, and some even oppose
each other at times . Some are local, national, or even international. There are different forms;
International Governmental Organizations (IGO’S) -organizations that are formed to by the
government to achieve goals that governments cannot achieve alone- such as UNICEF
(“International Governmental Organizations,” n.d, p.1), and Non-Governmental Organization
(NGO’s) -organizations that operate separately from any government- Girls Not Brides is an
example of an NGO (“Non-governmental Organizations,” n.d, p.1). Many organizations fight for
children's rights (such as forced child marriage) which have been abused or blantantly ignored in
many countries. Both IGO’s and NGO’s fight for causes, such as ending child marriage
worldwide.
Child marriage thrives in cultures where women are considered inferior to men; this
gender inequality is what allows it to be so prevalent in many countries to this day (“Why Does
Child Marriage Happen,” n.d, p.1). “The low value placed on girls and women perpetuates the
act and acceptability of child marriage in societies where the practice is common.” (Parsons et
al., 2015). Societies with a fundamental belief in the superiority of men over women, concepts
such as child marriage can easily be rationalized and practiced. “Child marriage is a complex
issue. Poverty, lack of education, cultural practices, and insecurity fuel these practices.” (“Why
Does Child Marriage Happen,” n.d.). Consider child marriage like an onion; to get to the core of
the issue, multiple layers need to be peeled off. The same can be said for ending child marriage,
as fixing one section of the issue is not enough to eradicate this abhorrent human rights violation.
Significance
According to Girls Not Brides -an NGO dedicated to improving the lives of young girls
through eradicating child marriage- approximately 650 million women today were married as
children (“Child Marriage Around the World,” n.d. p.1). In the developing world, one out of
every three girls will become a child bride (“Child Marriage Facts,” n.d.). Child marriage
violates 8 of the 17 sustainable development goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015
(“Sustainable Development Goals,” n.d. p.1)(refer to Figure A3). Furthermore, the practice of
selling young girls is directly related to poverty, lack of education, violence, and religion.
Although for some families selling their daughters may seem like a way to make a responsible
income, they fail to realize that this practice will only strengthen the cycle of poverty. Because
child marriage often denies a woman access to education, and therefore denies her an
opportunity to make money, this will only further limit the family economically. Unfortunately,
the decision to sell children into forced marriages is a desperate and short term solution for a
long term and complicated problem.
A vivid and disturbing example of the harmful effects child marriage can have is the case
of an eight year old Yemeni girl who died of internal bleeding on her wedding night (Elie, 2013,
p.1). The man she married was more than five times her age, according to the article in the
Guardian (Elie, 2013, p.1). This case ended up causing media outcry in Yemen as the disturbing
details of the injuries she suffered were unveiled (Elie, 2013, p.1)(see Figure A4 for full article).
Although the story was published anyway, it was said that the tribal chiefs tried to cover up the
incident in fear of the public’s response (Elie, 2013, p.1). This story begs the question; how
many other cases like this are out there that have been covered up? How many little girls’
narratives have been silenced by those in power?
Many other problems are involved in child marriage’s widespread acceptance across the
undeveloped world. Unfortunately, the elimination of child marriage is less like a domino effect
and more like a tangled ball of string. All of the factors contributing to the practice needs to be
improved for child marriage rates to decline; solving one issue will not trigger a reaction to
eradicate them all.

Background
Child marriage has been practiced extensively throughout recorded history. In earlier
centuries, life expectancy was much shorter than now, it was common. Child marriage took place
for the same reasons as today, but in the past, it was also prevalent in wealthy countries. Girls
would be given as a form of a gift in order to maintain family connections and to secure political
alliances (Nag, 2016, p.1). As the patriarchal hierarchy began to dissipate in the early 20th
century in wealthier countries, so did the practice of child marriages. Regrettably, developing
countries were left in the past in more ways than one. While developed countries evolved their
societies in relation to equality between the sexes, the developing world never experienced such
movements. Countries living in poverty are, in a sense, living in the past both economically and
socially. Looking objectively, why would their viewpoints change when nothing else has?
Between the early 16th century and the early 20th century, Europe colonized and
subjugated most of the known world. They suppressed and enslaved natives of the territory, and
exploited the land for natural resources. This caused many hardships for the underdeveloped and
‘uncivilized’ indigenous peoples across the world. (Chambers, 2000, p.1). The Europeans used
the regions for labour and natural resources mainly; therefore, it was not in their interest to
“civilize” the natives with some laws. Laws on child marriage included, the foreign invaders did
not have a reason to modernize the laws and traditions because they were useful tools to continue
oppressing the indigenous people (Chambers, 2000, p.1). When these countries eventually
gained sovereignty, Western views on moral issues such as child marriage had not been adopted
(Nag, 2016, p.1).

South Africa and Apartheid is a prime example of European colonialism and its
adverse effects on foreign cultures. Apartheid is well known as a period in time where a white
minority discriminated against the non-white majority (“Apartheid,” 2018, p.2). This piece of
history is one of the most documented instances of oppression and discrimination. During the
colonial era, many considered colonization to be beneficial for the natives. The Western world
believed they were civilizing the region and providing a better way of life for what they
considered to be the ‘archaic non-white.’ Instead, they did the opposite; once those native to the
region gained back control in 1994 what was left was not a new version of Western life
(“Apartheid,” 2018, p.2), but rather a broken society. The Europeans left nothing but drained
resources, unsettled tribes, and distrust of the white man. The laws of the Western world were
not adopted after sovereignty but instead pushed aside out of hate of all things to do with the
region’s oppressors. Although as these newly sovereigned countries have worked on healing, and
have in recent years implemented laws against child marriage, it took many years for this to
happen. The nation initially turned away any concepts born from the Western world out of spite.
South Africa’s slow pursuit of low child marriage rates was due in no part to the European
colonizers. If anything, Apartheid only furthered the poverty and therefore necessity of child
marriage at the time.
Alternatively, in Western civilization, child marriage was not a way to survive, but
rather a way to improve a family’s status and wealth in the European hierarchy. At the time they
were called arranged marriages, and often the girls never met their future husband until the day
of the wedding (“Medieval Marriage,” n.d. p.3). The girls were typically in their teens when
wedding; the arrangements were often to the benefit of the parents, not the children (“Medieval
Marriage,” n.d. p.3). In modern society, this would be considered an abuse of power by the
parents and an abominable concept. John Mclaughlin (1997) states the following:
The very idea of child marriage -- the use of a child as a bargaining chip, a counter in the
game of family politics and inheritance -- is as abhorrent to us as it was apparently
completely non-exceptionable in the 14th century. (p.6)
As previously mentioned, between the 19th and 20th century, this practice began to be looked at
in a different light (“Medieval Marriage,” n.d. p.4). Viewpoints began to change, as did the
average life expectancy; young girls also started to gain more of a voice in households. Marriage
for love became the new status quo. Contrary to child marriages occurring in the modern
developing world, the girl’s family would provide a dowry to the future husband (“Medieval
Marriage,” n.d. p.4). Rather than the husband or his family “purchasing” his bride, the family of
the girl would pay a dowry to convince the high-up (often monarchal) man to marry their
daughter (Mclaughlin, 1997, p.6).
Although child marriage is not common in developed countries anymore, it does still
occur. To this day in some US states, marriage under the age of 18 is allowed with parental
permission. Some states such as Idaho and Nevada allow all ages to marry with parental and
judicial consent (“Age of Marriage in the United States,” 2019, p.1). In developing countries,
multiple continents still have child marriage as a normalized part of their cultures, and, in some
cases, a mean of survival. Globally this issue is prevalent in every country if you look deep
enough. The world still has an unconscious bias against females. Until male superiority is not
considered the social norm; child marriage will continue to be rationalized. When women are
seen as less valuable, it makes it easier to sell them in a way similar to cattle. Globally female
oppression is still an issue, and child marriage is only one manifestation. Fundamental beliefs
need to be shifted for this issue, which is damaging to women globally, is ever to be resolved
(See Figure A5).
In the past attempts have been made to eradicate this heinous cultural practice. The
Child Marriage Restraint Act is an example; it was passed in India on September 28, 1929
(Kalaivani, 2015, p.1). This act restricted marriages to girls ages 14 and older and 18 for boys.
The minimum age was later changed to 18 for girls and 21 for boys (Kalaivani, 2015, p.1). This
act was a significant reform in India, which had strong opposition initially (“Child Marriage
Restraint Act, 2019, p.1). This act, unfortunately, is an example of a past attempt and failure at
restricting child marriage. At the time India was still considered a British colony, because of this
the English-British government did not actively enforce the law in fear of losing Hindu and
Buddhist supporters (“Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2019, p.1). When asked about the steps to
eradicating child marriage, Gwynne Dyer stated that “[f]or any progress to be made, opinions
have to change before laws do.” What Gwynne explained here was not what was done in India
and was a fundamental reason why the act was not successful. Child marriage was still believed
to be a regular part of these religions and cultures; the law did not stop families continuing with
what they felt was their religious and cultural right.

Although this act was not entirely successful, it was unquestionably a step in the right
direction. Gwynne Dyer also stated that “[e]mpowering women and helping developing societies
no longer see them as inferior will deeply impact this issue.” There are other instances across
history and the world, similar to the Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929. Few of them were
successful in decreasing rates of child marriages. This begs the question, why is child marriage
so deep-rooted in these cultures that not even laws can control it? There is possibly a simple
answer, it originally stemmed from poverty, but at some point in time became a tradition (“The
Insidious Tradition of Taking Child Brides,” 2011, p.1). When the traditions of hundreds of years
come into play, it becomes a much more complex issue. A religion, culture, or nation will not
turn away a generational tradition simply because the Western world has deemed it archaic.
Time needs to be taken to unpack the tradition and understand what needs to fundamentally shift
in opinions for child marriage to no longer be seen as a tradition but as a human rights issue.
External forces can not solve the problem; it must be fixed from the inside out.
Expert
Mercy Akuot
In a TedX talk child marriage survivor, Mercy Akuot speaks of her heartbreaking story of
family betrayal, cultural influences, and escaping South Sudan (TedX Talks, 2018). As a child,
Mercy was extremely close to her father. He influenced every aspect of her life and always
pushed her to attend school and obtain an education. When she was a teenager, she was sent to a
boarding school with her siblings and cousins in Uganda. She went home every year for the
holidays but when she was fifteen something was different. The holidays came and went, and she
realized there was no discussion of her going back to school. It was February, and there was still
no sign of her returning to school. Finally, she worked up the courage to ask her father about it.
The response her father gave was one she had dreaded her entire life. He said “[y]ou are
not going back to school. You are getting married.” The betrayal Mercy felt was heartbreaking.
However, she never blamed her parents but the culture surrounding them. Mercy fought to go
back to school, but it was clear that she had no choice in the matter. The man she was set to
marry was 56 years old, and she had always seen him as an uncle. When Mercy asked about how
her education would play into her life, they are planning for her; her father answered that she
would get married because it was their culture.
When Mercy continued to fight her dad on the marriage, he said that if she would not get
married, then she had to stay with her mother in Uganda. Mercy accepted this offer; her uncle
that was supposed to be marrying her drove her as well as her cousin to the border of Uganda,
where they met Mercy’s mother. They booked a room at a hotel, Mercy and her cousin were in
one room and her mother and uncle in the other.
Her mother eventually came out of the room and left. At this point, Mercy knew
something was wrong. Mercy’s uncle called her into his room shortly after. He said to her,
“[y]our mother has said I could do anything I want with you, and I will.” After this, he
continually assaulted her for three days. She was not even allowed to use the bathroom; she was
given only a bucket. After enduring this, she finally said she accepted his offer of marriage, but
she never really intended to marry him. Her uncle, the next day, allowed her and her cousin to go
to the store across the road. The store owner ended up being an old family friend who offered to
hide her. Mercy made sure her cousin was on the way back to school before escaping. She hid
for a month at a hair salon.
When it was safe Mercy made her way home to Uganda. She arrived home to find both
her parents, who then took her to the police station claiming she had run away from school and
had to be sent back to South Sudan. Mercy fought and proved with a school report that they were
lying. They continued to try and forcefully get Mercy sent back to South Sudan. She was
eventually placed in a children’s home, soon after a man named Jonathan took Mercy in and she
went back to school.
When Mercy graduated from school, she contacted her family and went to meet them at a
mall. Her father then arrived with the man she was supposed to marry. Mercy knew then that
Uganda was not safe for her while her parents were still trying to force her into an arranged
marriage, especially when they knew where she was. Mercy escaped to a refugee camp in Kenya.
She now works at Kakuma refugee camp; another camp in Kenya. She is now a well-known
women’s rights activist in Kenya. Mercy uses her life experiences to help others in similar
situations, either currently or in the past. She says, “This culture considers women as inferior. It
may be my family’s culture, but it is not mine.”

Rebeca Gyumi
Rebeca Gyumi is an activist for girl’s rights in Tanzania. She is the founder and executive
director of the Msichana initiative; an NGO dedicated to advocating for quality education and
opportunities for young girls in Tanzania (Rebeca Gyumi, 2018). In 2016 Rebeca challenged the
Marriage Act in Tanzania, which allowed girls as young as 14 to get married with parental
consent (“Rebeca Gyumi, winner, 2018 UN Human Rights Prize,” 2018). The High Court ruled
in favour of raising the minimum age for girls to 18 on July 8, 2016. The Court also stated that
the Marriage Act of 1971 was “unconstitutional and discriminatory towards girls.” Because of
this effort, she was named both UNICEF’s global goals award winner and African woman of the
year in 2016 (“Our Team,” n.d.) In 2018 she was also the recipient of the United Nations Human
Rights Prize for her work in Tanzania (“Rebeca Gyumi, winner, 2018 UN Human Rights Prize,”
2018).
In 2016 the international organization Girls Not Brides interviewed Rebeca Gyumi about
her life and contributions to improving girl’s rights in Tanzania. When asked what motivated her
to become an advocate to end child marriage, Rebecca responded by stating:
My background with my family was a major influence. My mother was the major
breadwinner in the family, so I grew up around a strong female influence; this showed me
the importance of being strong and having a voice. My mother also made sure my
siblings and I all had the chance to go to school and educate ourselves so that we could
form our own opinions. (Girls Not Brides, 2016)

This quote shows that family has a significant impact on the lives of girls. Rebeca was not forced
into marriage like many girls around her. In fact, in Tanzania 2 in 5 girls are married before their
eighteenth birthday according to Girls Not Brides. With activists such as Rebeca, these statistics
are currently decreasing in Tanzania.
Rebeca was then asked ‘how the high court petition and ruling shaped the conversation
around child marriage’:
It has had much influence on people’s opinions and discussion of the issue. In a way,
having the court petitioned was a blessing in disguise; it sparked heated discussion and
open dialogue, which is what we need to make a change. The court ruling has really
enhanced the discussion nationally. (Girls Not Brides, 2016)
Open dialogue and the changing of opinions is how progress will be made. When people begin to
question traditions and decide on their informed stance on the issue, it helps break the cycle of
following in the footsteps of their predecessors merely because it was taught.
Rebeca is extremely involved in making sure youth advocate for themselves and all get
equal opportunities. When asked how important youth involvement is Rebeca explains why it is
essential:
When talking about shifting or changing a community, you have to look at the generation
that is going to be affected long term by this, which is the youth. If young people
embrace and are at the center of the movement to end child marriage, the sustainability of
the movement is assured. (Girls Not Brides, 2016)

Rebeca’s statement about the youth and them being what will make the campaign sustainable is
compelling. When considering that it is the older generation that makes decisions that impact the
future of the youth, the younger generation must fight to have an active voice and influence.
Rebeca was then asked the question; ‘what would you say is the best approach to
ending child marriage?’ This question is daunting considering there are so many factors at play,
but she articulated her view in saying:
Making sure that the police system understands and enforces this law as strictly as any
other. Central welfare officers must also understand their role in protecting children. But
most importantly, we must involve the communities. Because if we don’t involve the
communities, these girls at the end of the day that’s where they come from. The smallest
unit of a community which is family, the family must understand how important it is to
invest in a girl child. But we have to show them, by example. (Girls Not Brides, 2016)
Rebeca explains perfectly the importance of involving everyone in the campaign. When families
and communities begin to see a change, see girls continuing in school and being successful, their
idea of what a girl can accomplish will change. Once the value of girls is not only realized but
understood, then child marriage will be eradicated.
The final question Rebeca was asked was ‘what are your hopes for the future?’:
If we continue the same movement and momentum, we will have more girls in school.
Even the girls who might not have been able to afford school before or were unsuccessful
in continuing their education. They will have alternative ways to unleash their potential. I
also believe as a country, we will find better ways to invest in girls who are out of school,
and ultimately, our numbers will go down. (Girls Not Brides, 2016)
Rebeca provided many insightful answers to the questions asked by Girls Not Brides. As a
leading activist in Tanzania she is continuing to spark change. The Msichana movement is
hoping to spread to other African countries soon. Helping girls get an education and providing
them with the tools to empower themselves will be vital in the campaign.
Role of Control
Whenever there is an issue or a crisis, the first thought is who was in control? Who in
power allowed this to happen? Could anyone have stopped it from occurring? When considering
these questions for child marriage, it is impossible to identify a singular person to blame for
allowing this human rights violation to continue. There are many people who have some form of
“control” but make a conscious decision not to exercise that ability. Those that have direct
control, such as the parents of the girls tend to get all of the blame. But the people that indirectly
have power or could make a difference often get overlooked. There is a significant number of
people that could make a difference and choose not to exercise their ability to promote change.
One example of this is shown through government officials who do not vote through petitions to
increase minimum marriage age. Child welfare workers that do not fight for the victims also
perpetuates the issue. In cases where laws restricting legal marriage age exist, police forces
usually choose not to enforce them. Other instances include the parents that decide to take their
daughter out of school so she can be married, and the man that is paying for a young bride all
have some control in the situation. With every child marriage, many people have to look the
other way and ignore the apparent violation of the girl’s rights.
The government has a tremendous influence on the prevalence of child marriage. In
developing countries, governments are majority male, so even when there are female voices to
raise concerns, they are often outnumbered. The males often see no issue because it does not
directly impact them, and it has been a part of the culture for centuries. Government officials
have also been known to wed young girls themselves. Similar to other issues, when it directly
benefits those in government, they do not change the laws regardless these unethical acts. In
male-dominated societies, women don’t have opportunities to voice their opinions, and they have
no control or power over what happens. Once women begin to be empowered and the men start
to listen, their views could be changed. It is unethical that the male population should make
decisions on behalf of the women and girls, especially without hearing testimonials or strong
female voices.
Child welfare is governmentally run, so it is difficult even if workers are against child
marriage, they could lose their jobs if the government does not see any issue. There are,
however, still opportunities where welfare workers could help victims if the man intended to
marry seems violent. No matter what, government-run programs and organizations follow the
same beliefs as the government. Considering welfare workers are typically female, it is
surprising that they do not intervene more often. The reality is that the marriages are usually kept
quiet and other than family, few people know when they are occurring.
In some developing countries that do have laws restricting child marriage, the rate of
police interference is still low. The police force often gives precedence to enforcing other laws
based on their personal biases or because it is still too common for them to properly regulate it.
Although the police force does have some power and control, they are often still outnumbered by
the communities still practicing this tradition.

The parents of the daughter have the most control of the situation. The parents can
decide to turn away the cultural practice and educate their child; no one forces them to sell a part
of their family. However, parents may make this choice for the survival of the entire
empoverished family. In some instances, the women of the house have little voice in the matter.
Since the mother has much less power than the father in developing countries, the men are
considered superior and the decision makers of the household. Realistically, if the wife opposed
a daughter’s arranged marriage, the husband ultimately has the final say. It is always safest for
women in developing countries to stay obedient and quiet, but progress will never be made in
silence.
The disturbed pedophiles that marry young girls have a large amount of control. They
are often rich older men that take advantage of families in poverty, offering them money and
support in exchange for their daughter. The men who grew up and were taught that this practice
is acceptable must be stopped. These men are at the core of the problem; they can easily marry a
woman their age, or even a young woman. Children should not be suffering in the way that these
men make them, where their innocence, dignity, free will, and hope all disappear on their
wedding night. Why? Because some men see themselves as superior, they see little girls as
property, and their bodies an instrument of pleasure. Children are having children. A man has to
be genuinely disturbed to do this.
It is clear that in developing countries, males have the power. Why is that? There is a
fundamental ideology that men are superior. The men have control because of this concept.
Women and male supporters must work to destroy this societal divide and change opinions. Until
this happens, women will not have control of their lives. Gone should be the times of men
making decisions for women.

International Organizations
There are hundreds of organizations and charities in the world, all fighting for a cause.
Some charities overlap in their goals; others can even oppose each other. Some are local,
national, or even international. There are different forms; IGO’s or NGO’s. IGO’s or
international governmental organization are organizations that are formed to by the government
to achieve goals that the government cannot, UNICEF would be considered an IGO.
(“International Governmental Organizations,” n.d.) An NGO or a non-governmental organization
operates separately from any government; Girls Not Brides would be considered an NGO. Many
organizations fight for children's rights (such as forced child marriage) which have been abused
in many countries. IGO’s and NGO’s both fight for a cause such as the eradication of child
marriage.
Girls Not Brides was established in 2011 and became an independent charity in 2013
by Mabel Van Oranje (Girls Not Brides, 2017). It is a global partnership with over 1000 civil
organizations from more than 95 countries committed to ending child marriage. Girls Not Brides
mission statement is:
The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage are committed to ending child marriage, a
harmful traditional practice that affects millions of children, predominantly girls, every
year. As members of Girls Not Brides, we are joining together to accelerate efforts to
prevent child marriage, and to support girls who are or have been married, all over the
world.
The organization is dedicated to raising awareness of the impact child marriage has on a person
and a society. Girls Not Brides also advocates for girls at risk of child marriage. Girls Not Brides
members are situated all across the globe to help fight for the victims and potential victims of
child marriage (Girls Not Brides, n.d.)(See Figure A6). This organization has been very
successful, and they credit it to working with the civil society organizations in each country to
help reach as many people as possible (Girls Not Brides, n.d.).
Girls Not Brides believes four key things need to be accomplished to eradicate child
marriage on a global scale; girls need to be empowered, families and communities must be
mobilized, services need to be provided, and laws and policies must be implemented (Girls Not
Brides, n.d.).
The organization has been working with girls giving them opportunities to increase their
skills, knowledge, and understanding their rights and how to exercise them. They do this by
providing safe spaces for these girls to learn in a welcoming environment.
Girls Not Brides has begun mobilizing communities by challenging social and cultural
norms. The organization sees the value in reaching the men and boys of the communities and
helping them understand why child marriage is no longer acceptable.
Providing services such as safe schooling and high-quality health services have proven
invaluable in this effort. By educating girls not only in school but on their health and bodies
helps empower them and give them the information to advocate for themselves.
Finally, many countries lack comprehensive laws and policies against child marriage.
Laws and policies can help change societal views on child marriage, and also provide girls with a
way to fight back if they become victims of child marriage.

Girls Not Brides is an organization dedicated to its cause and has made improvements in
many countries to date. Also, their theory of how a change can be made is realistic and
comprehensive. Because Girls Not Brides is an NGO, it is targeting a specific issue, not a broad
topic. Many say that the combination of NGO’s and IGO’s will solve the most issues globally.
The United Nations was founded to promote human rights and bring together countries
from across the globe to discuss pressing matters such as climate change, wars, and human rights
violations. A subsection of the United Nations is UNICEF, or the United Nations International
Children’s Emergency Fund is dedicated to protecting children across the globe and making sure
their rights are not violated. Harmful practices such as child marriage and female genital
mutilation are high priorities for UNICEF. UNICEF states that:
Harmful cultural practices, such as child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM),
are discriminatory practices committed regularly over such long periods that communities
and societies begin to consider them acceptable.
This is a comprehensive explanation of what has happened in many developing countries.
Something vile has been happening for so long that now it seems reasonable. UNICEF works
across the globe, helping protect and empower children. In regards to the solution to child
marriage, UNICEF says:
Addressing child marriage requires recognition of the factors that enable it. While the
roots of the practice vary across countries and cultures, poverty, lack of educational
opportunities and limited access to health care perpetuate it. Some families marry their
daughters off early to reduce their economic burden or earn income. Others may do so
because they believe it will secure their daughters’ futures or protect them.
Understanding what is at the core of the issue is the best way to solve it. UNICEF is also a large
corporation, so it has many focuses on subcategories such as child marriage.
The United Nations Populism Fund is also fighting to help end child marriage globally.
The United Nations has helped fight child marriage by implementing the 17 sustainable
development goals (“Sustainable Development Goals,” n.d.). If the goals are achieved, child
marriage will no longer occur. The United Nations Populism Fund also helps in the fight against
child marriage by providing “concrete, evidence-based solutions to child marriage, with an
emphasis on efforts that can be scaled-up, sustained, and produce measurable results.” UNFPA
provides a comprehensive analysis of the factors influencing child marriage as well as feasible
solutions (UNFPA, n.d.). UNFPA states that to end child marriage, “there must be action on
many levels.” This includes providing proper healthcare, legal help, and support to current child
marriage victims while working to implement stricter laws.
All types of organizations from grassroots NGO’s to massive international IGO’s are
beneficial to society. One common mistake that was made when combating child marriage was
attempting to change laws before opinions. Without a change in ideals and views, altering a law
will not stop centuries of cultural tradition regardless of it being a human rights violation.
Case Study No. 1

India
India, located in South Asia, currently has the highest number of living child brides; an
estimated 26,610,000 (Girls Not Brides, n.d, p.1). India is the second most populous country,
with approximately 1.3 billion people (Worldometers, n.d, p.1). Within that, 68.8% of the
population survives on less than $2 a day (SOS Children's Villages, n.d, p.1). Poverty is one of
the significant factors of underpinning child marriage through a case study done in the Warangal
District of Telangana State by Dr. Suresh Lal from the University of Kakatiya (Dr. Suresh Lal,
2016, p.1). Within the case study, 50% of the respondents belong to economically poor
communities (Dr. Suresh Lal, 2016, p.1).
Although child marriage was outlawed in India in 1929, it is still rampant in the country,
rooted in gender inequality and low economic status (Child Marriage in India, 2019, p. 1). A
review done by UNICEF in 2014 confirmed that social and cultural norms as well as
socioeconomic status, education, and the specific community all influence the age at which girls
will marry. "Child marriage is rooted in socio-cultural practices and religious beliefs in many
communities, but beyond stylized facts, the relationship between faith and child marriage are
complex and change depending on the community" (Dr. Suresh Lal, 2016, p.1-2).
The traditional act of child marriage in India dated back to the pre-colonial era and was
often depicted in ancient religious texts ("History of Child Marriage in India," 2016, p.1). Once
Britain colonized India, child marriage as a cultural practice was put under the microscope. The
colonizers labelled it "barbaric," yet they never intervened to stop the practice. It is thought that
the fear of retribution from the Indians was greater than the British disdain for child marriage.
Child marriage was often looked at as a form of transaction, rather than an act of love. Girls were
considered economic burdens on their families after they reached a certain age at which they
became eligible to marry ("History of Child Marriage in India," 2016, p.1). Socially the desire
for a young bride was the assurance that her "purity" or virginity was intact (Dr. Suresh Lal,
2016, p. 2). India has always placed a large amount of value on a women (or girl's) sexual purity
and maintaining control of women's bodies. Women's virtue was also a way of ensuring she
marries a person of a higher class or her "caste purity." Because of the intense societal pressures,
some young girls would agree to arranged marriages so they could fulfill their sexual desires and
still be socially accepted. It is known that within Indian communities with more fluid or relaxed
views on sexuality, the average age of marriage is higher ("Early and Child Marriage in India,"
2016, p.2).
India as a nation has historically been a patriarchal society, and although these gender
norms are being changed, it still is deeply rooted in the country today. The female role in India is
still often limited to her ability to "serve" her husband through childbearing, cleaning, and
cooking. Women are expected to put respect and obey the wishes of any male figures in their
lives, even when their own opinions or desires oppose them. In India, women and girls are often
seen as an extension of the male figure in their lives rather than individuals. What all females
choose to do is a reflection on the masculinity and strength of the man. It is considered a sign of
honour to have an obedient wife and daughters. Shame can be brought upon the entire family
when a daughter becomes impure before marriage, sometimes resulting in exclusion from a
community ("History of Child Marriage in India," 2016, p.3).
The case studies done from Warangal District of the Telangana state, that the level of
education a woman receives influences the average amount of children she will have (Dr. Suresh
Lal, 2016, p. 3)(See Figure A7). A field study of 100 married children was conducted to connect
child marriage to specific economic, societal, and cultural influences. Whether a girl is a part of a
nuclear or joint family influences the frequency of child marriage; 40% of the married children
were in a nuclear family, and 60% were in a joint family. The study also showed that at the time
of marriage, 50% were not studying, 25% had studied less than the 8th standard, 15% studied
above the 12th standard, and 10% between the 8th and 12th standard. The young girls often
spend their time doing domestic chores and taking care of the children. The family of the young
girls’ husbands can also put undue pressure on them producing a son, the girls are sometimes
scolded, and even beaten up.
Mrs. Poonja, a subject of the study, told her story of abuse from both her husband and
his family. She was forced to conform to the customs and values of her new family. They made
her veil her face, and she could never talk to strangers, her in-laws once beat Mrs. Poonja for
speaking to a mail carrier. After giving birth to her daughter, she was pressured to bear a boy.
Shortly after Mrs. Poonja gave birth to twin girls and the abuse worsened. She quickly became
the target of anger from all her family members; at one point, they even threatened to leave her if
she did not produce a boy. Mrs. Poonja, as well as other respondents of the case study, stated that
they surrendered to sexual intercourse or engaged in sexual acts against their will from the very
first day of marriage. The psychological and physical tolls child marriage has on young women
is reprehensible; lack of education, domestic violence, infant and maternal mortality all can stem
from child marriage. Although some of these girls may be considered physiologically ready to
bear children since they have begun menstruating, however, physically the rest of their body has
not developed enough to make the pregnancy safe and most, if not all of the girls in child
marriage are not psychologically ready for sexual intercourse or childbearing.
Child marriage impacts India in many ways; it oppresses women and underpins economic
and social growth for the nation. It puts young girls more at risk of maternal mortality, sexually
transmitted infections, and domestic abuse. Girls who are married at a young age often don't
receive a proper education; this is because it would empower women to the extent that could
upset the current patriarchal regime. Child marriage is a way to oppress women, why is gender,
race, or religion ever oppressed? Out of fear. Gender inequality is fueled by the fear of men who
believe that by allowing women to have the freedom they somehow become less masculine, or
less honourable. This is a distorted way of looking at the issue; the strongest men are secure
enough to understand that allowing women to have freedom does not make them less powerful.
Only a man confident in his masculinity would be willing to let women thrive as well; many men
do not understand that a woman's success is not their failure.
Within India's culture, child marriage has been present for a very long time. It has
become a tradition; the society has grown accustomed to child marriage to the point that it often
goes unquestioned in a community. The practice has achieved a sense of normalcy and the
unfortunate reality hidden behind a veil of culture and tradition. In villages in India, culture and
tradition are highly valued and seldom questioned. Child marriage is an archetype of a tradition
that is archaic, and the practice serves only as a form of female oppression; it has no religious or
spiritual connection. Girls were seen as burdens on their fathers, so the solution was to marry
them off, at some point, this became common practice, and eventually, a widely accepted way of
life.
Considering child marriage is only a fraction of the issue that is female oppression, one
solution being implemented is female empowerment. Female empowerment is possible through
access to education and community outreach programs. As women begin to be seen as equals in
India, the shift of societal norms away from a child forced marriage will seem less drastic and
more accepted. Although the laws against child marriage have not been working, the
implementation of these laws is being improved, and harsher punishments are being issued. It
may not be the best solution for the long-term but fear can entice men to look away from inward
traditions of child marriage and more openly consider someone older. Also, international
programs are also working to educate men and women to change opinions and mindset regarding
child marriage. There needs to be a fundamental belief shift from it being "tradition" to it being a
violation of human rights and a form of oppression. The veil will come off eventually, and the
harsh reality of what child marriage is really like will be exposed, like an open wound for the
world to see.
Case Study No. 2

Malawi
Malawi, located in southeastern Africa, has the 13th highest rate of child marriage in
the world; 42% of the female population is married by the age of 18 (“Malawi History,” 2019,
p.1). It wasn’t until 2015 when the legal age for marriage became 18 for both girls and boys;
however it still contained a loophole; children as young as 15 could even marry with parental
consent (“Malawi Constitution No Longer Allows Child Marriage,” 2017, p.1). This section of
the law rendered the legal limit virtually useless seeing as often the parents are the ones who
arrange the child marriages, not the girls. But fortunately, in 2017, the Malawi President Peter
Mutharika removed the legal marriage age of 15 with parental consent from the law (“Malawi
Constitution No Longer Allows Child Marriage,” 2017, p.1). Although the fight against child
marriage is evident legally in Malawi, the social change necessary to conquer this issue has not
occurred. The fundamental concept that child marriage is a tradition and not an abomination is
still deeply rooted in Malawi’s culture. In recent years, however, more open dialogue on the
subject has arisen and is beginning to gain popularity (Theodora Talumba Mkali, 2016, p.38).
The astonishingly high occurrence rates in Malawi and other areas has been linked to
the low education levels. Ms. Mkali (2016) stated in her case study that a report was published in
which 14,051 primary school girls dropped out to marry, and 5,597 secondary schools also
dropped out because of pregnancy (p.38-39). In many Malawian communities, the educational
system ingrains set gender roles into the minds of impressionable children (Theodora Talumba
Mkali, 2016, p.1). It teaches that girls are confined to being a daughter, wife, and eventually, a
mother. In small rural communities of Malawi, there are not opportunities to gain further
education, so marriage is considered the best alternative for girls. School fees can also be too
high for impoverished families so instead than enrolling girls in school they are married to an
older, often wealthier, man. By improving the quality and access to education in Malawi, it is
likely girls education rates would rise, and child marriage rates would decline as a result.
In Malawi and globally, child marriage rates are highest in impoverished rural areas.
When a family’s basic needs are not being met parents may marry off their daughters to procure
financial support for the girl and the family. In Northern Malawi, Kupimbila is a fairly common
practice (“Malawi: Parents marrying off daughters as young as nine,” 2011, p.1). It is a form of
repaying debt in which a young girl is given to the creditor for marriage. If the girl is not yet of
age a contract may be used promising her to the creditor when she reaches puberty, this is called
Kutomera. (“Malawi: Parents marrying off daughters as young as nine,” 2011, p.2) These
arrangements lack entirely the consent of the girl, their hands in marriage, and consequently,
their bodies are being used as a form of currency. No one should ever determine the value of a
young girl's free will and her body but her, unfortunately, that is not the case in many developing
countries such as Malawi. If arranged marriage is not a viable option, but the families become
extremely desperate, they can often encourage their daughters to engage in transactional sex for
money or food. Through this form of prostitution, if the young girl ends up pregnant as a result,
the practice of Ukwatiwotulira or marrying the girl to the sexual partner to conceal that the
pregnancy was out of wedlock. Seeing as poverty rates directly influence child marriage rates if
Malawi poverty rates decrease child marriage rates will subsequently decrease as well.
Child marriage is deeply rooted in cultures and traditions especially in developing
countries such as Malawi, along with the encouragement of early sexual experience, early
marriage, women being inferior and the stigmatization of teen pregnancies. Although child
marriage is legally prohibited, the Malawi Constitution also legally protects all citizens from
being persecuted for their cultural practices (Llolsten L Kaonga, 1994, p.1). These two laws
seemingly contradict each other; in Malawi abiding by the Constitution can be at the expense of
human rights. Within the culture, there are many rituals and traditions seen as the initiations of
children into adulthood. For young girls these revolve mainly around becoming a suitable wife,
in Malawi, there are even camps in which the girls come back convinced they are ready for
marriage regardless of their age. This ceremony is known as “chinamwali cha atsikana,” and the
girls receive sex education and marriage counselling during this process (Malawi Human Rights
Commission, n.d, p.26). The information fed to them within this ceremony does not include
anything regarding contraception, sexuality, or sexual health because these topics are considered
“taboo.”
In recent years, the legal structure protecting young girls has been greatly improved.
However, the Malawi law enforcement continues to struggle with the implementation of these
laws and policies. Included in Malawi Constitution Chapter 3 is the Bill of Rights which pertains
equally to all legal citizens of Malawi; children included (Malawi Human Rights Commission,
n.d, p.6). Section 18 of this Bill is the Right to Life; this encompasses all negative and positive
aspects of life. Because of this the state could be held accountable for any child brides that die
from pregnancies and childbirths through this marriage. This discourages states from neglecting
the protection of the girl child seeing as they could be prosecuted for deaths resulting from child
marriage.
Child marriage is considered within family domain in Malawi, and in the past all family
matters would be veiled by the right to privacy. This means that although child marriage is a
human rights violation, because it takes place in private impunity would have been granted
(Theodora Talumba Mkali, 2016, p.47). In recognition of this issue, the Malawi Constitution
(n.d.) includes that “Each member of the family shall enjoy full and equal respect and shall be
protected by law against all forms of neglect, cruelty or exploitation” (p.7). Moreover, within the
Constitution and international human rights treaties pertaining to the rights of a child can be used
in violations that occur in a family.
The Malawi Child Care, Protection and Justice Act Implemented in 2010 states that no
one can be forced into a marriage (Bingu Wa Mutharika, 2010, p.2). Pertaining to this section of
the Act there are criminal penalties for those who force a child to marry. Opportunity to fight a
child marriage is possible through the Act seeing as the full and free consent of both parties
entering the marriage is a requirement. If found guilty of forcing a child into marriage an
individual can be sentenced to up to ten years imprisonment (Bingu Wa Mutharika, 2010, p.52).
Although this section of the Act could be implemented in all cases of child marriage,
unfortunately, many Malawian communities continue to be so deeply embeded in culture and
traditions it undermines the victim’s freedon to prosecute her family. It is a constant struggle for
young girls in Malawi to receive the proper legal protection that they deserve by right.
The Equality Act was implemented in 2013 to promote gender equality in all aspects of
life. The goal of this Act was to increase the influence, empowerment, dignity and opportunities
for women nationally. All harmful practices against are prohibited whether they are social or
cultural. If found guilty of harmful practice against a woman, a sentence of up to five years
imprisonment and a fine of one million kwacha could be administered. This legislation is still
fairly new only being implemented six years ago, this makes it difficult to determine the impact
it has had on the protection of women from child marriage and other harmful practices.
However, it has been noted that limited awareness of said laws and lack of law enforcement has
been blocking the Act from working fully.
In the past decade Malawi has put numerous initiative in place in an attempt to lower
child marriage rates and empower the women and girls of the nation. A wide range of policies
and legislations have been implemented to protect the rights of young girls. While some of these
Acts target child marriage prohibition specifically, others address the root causes such as
poverty, tradition and cultures and lack of education. Through Malawi’s initiatives, the belief
that girl’s have a right to participate in any and all decisions that will potentially affect her
development has become more widespread. In recent years due in part to Malawi’s changes to
legislation, more girls rights advocated in Malawi have begun to emerge. Memory Banda is a
notable Malawian activist that has been sharing her story of fighting being married at 13 years
old. In an inspiring Ted Talk Memory recalls the difference in her and her younger sister’s lives.
By the age of 11 Memory’s sister was pregnant, not by a husband but by the man who assualted
her at a traditional “initiation camp”. Within these camps, girls who have reached puberty are
taught how to sexually please a man. The man who impregnated Memory’s sister was hired by
the community to sleep with every little girl at the camp. By 13 Memory was told she needed to
go to the initiation camp but she refused. She was told she was a stupid little girl who needed to
respect the communties tradition. By 16 Memory’s younger sister had three children and two
failed marriages. This is the fate of many young girls in Malawi currently. The nation has
however taken many measure to solve this issue.
Malawi, being one of the poorest countries in the world with one of the highest child
marriage rates has been at the forefront of the movement to eradicate this issue within the
developing world. However, Malawi still struggles with the enforcement of these laws as well as
educating young girls on their rights. Some of the laws Malawi has implemented have been
useful in protecting the rights of girls, however, they do not fully protect against child marriages.
Early marriage is opposed in the Marriage, Family Relations and Divorce Act. Unfortunately, it
is a struggle for the government to enforce these laws due to the culture of silence in the
communities where child marriages are the most frequent. Because of thus culture most child
marriage cases go unreported. In order to put these legal protections to use, communities need to
be taught to advocate for their young girls and report cases of child marriage so law enforcement
can t
Canadian Connections
When the issue of child marriage is mentioned, often thoughts go immediately to places
like India and Malawi; developing nations. But does the problem not still exist in other countries
such as Canada? Hidden in the shadows behind all of the good in every country an underworld
exists in which child marriages can occur. Although it is not nearly as prevalent in Canada, it
does still happen, and that needs to be acknowledged. Samra Zafar, a child marriage survivor
who was moved to Canada from the United Arab Emirates when only 16 to marry a man in
Mississauga, has spoken out about her experience and the prevalence of the issue in this country.
Canada has also been at the forefront of combating child marriage on a global scale through
committing to the sustainable development goals and sponsorships of anti-child marriage
organizations. As noted previously, child marriage has many factors that make the issue so
complicated. Susan Bissell, associate director of UNICEF’s child protection branch, stated that
she was “struck by their (Canada’s government) deep understanding of the complexities,” and
that Canada is the first government she has spoken to “that sees those connections,” (The
Canadian Press, 2013, p.1).
Samra Zafar moved against her wishes to Mississauga Canada at only 16 years old
from the United Arab Emirates to marry a 28-year-old man. Over ten years, Zafar endured all
kinds of abuse. She had two daughters with this man, and it was not until years later that she was
able to enroll at the University of Toronto. Through the connections, Zafar made at the
University of Toronto she had the support system to leave the marriage eventually. Samra Zafar
spoke on the cycle of abuse and how she “left him 5 or 6 times before finally gathering the
strength not to go back,” Even now in Canada although the legal age of marriage is 17 or 18,
however many provinces such as Ontario will allow a marriage as young as 16 with consent from
both parents. Seeing as the law does not explicitly mention the need for consent from the bride,
this leaves a grey area where child marriages can slip through the cracks. In September 2013, the
South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario released a report that counted 219 confirmed or suspected
cases of forced marriage in both Ontario and Quebec between 2010 and 2012. In an estimated
57% of the cases, the wedding was performed outside of Canada.
Zafar who is now a public speaker that travels to many high schools told CTV that she
gets approached by teachers that tell her about girls in high school that go to their parents
country of origin for the summer and never return because they end up getting married (Sonja
Puzic, 2017, p.1). The topic is very taboo in Canada; the honour of the country can overshadow
the need for change. Often the ideology that issues such as child marriage isn’t in Canada; the
thought that it is a problem only in the developing world is factually incorrect. The government
should change the laws that legal age for marriage is 18, regardless of parental consent, marriage
under 18 should not be admissible in any way.
Although Canada does look more outward in regards to child marriage, the country has
had an influential role in the abolishment of this human rights violation globally. Canada
committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and therefore goals 5.3 and eight, both of
which target the abolition of child marriage by the year 2030 (“Sustainable Development Goals,”
n.d, p.2). The government has also made donations to various foreign aid programs relating to
child marriage. Between 2011 and 2016, the government committed $80 million to end child
marriage. Canada has also co-sponsored numerous Human Rights Council resolutions as well as
United Nations resolutions (Girls Not Brides, n.d, p.2). In 2014 Canada signed a joint statement
at the Human Rights Council calling for a resolution on child marriage (Girls Not Brides, n.d,
p.2). The Canadian government has become an avid activist for anti-child marriage laws
globally.
In recent years women empowerment and feminism has been in the public eye with
annual women’s marches as well as influential women fighting gender oppression. Child
marriage is the embodiment of female oppression; as a society, women should not fight only for
their rights but the rights of all women globally. It is essential that it is understood that although
all women face some form of oppression, the severity differs. The women in better positions
such as those in developed countries, should fight for the others in positions of less power such
as child brides.
Logic of Evil
Logic is defined as the reasoning used to confirm validity. Evil is harder to define; there
is not a black and white line between good and evil, and the term also encompasses such a wide
range of actions. This is where the line between good and evil blurs; it is also a somewhat
subjective term; everyone has their own belief of what is good versus evil. The official definition
is profoundly immoral or wicked. So what is the logic of evil then? In simple terms, the logic of
evil is the rationalization a person or government uses to manipulate the appearance of an action.
If something benefits one person or society but hurts, another most would say it is not a viable
option, where others will rationalize that if it helps one person or community more than it hurts
the other, the pros outweigh the cons. There is some logic behind this, but in this case, logic is
manipulated to make the rules or outline of good and evil conform to the benefit of the person or
society.
The concept of good and evil is fluid; no definite line is crossed. Some even argue good
and evil doesn’t exist; it is just a human construct used to categorize the world. Others see good
and evil as a core part of existence, living in everyone influencing their decisions and
personalities. There is no factual evidence to back either opinion, and it is all merely speculation.
This begs the question, can some consider something evil and others not? Absolutely. One
unique part of the human psyche is its ability to mould facts and rationale in a way that benefits
the individual.
It is widely believed that child marriage is evil. Then how come it still happens? What is
the logic or rationale of those voluntarily participating in the act? What makes them believe they
are doing the right thing? The family members of the bride often have economic problems and
are struggling to provide. When an older man not only offers to marry one of their daughters, but
also will feed, cloth, and care for her, but will also pay the family a dowry, the pros seem almost
too good to be true. This is because they are; the cons are not highlighted or even considered; the
harmful impact on the girl are scarcely thought of, especially when the man appears to be
somewhat wealthy. Parents often will believe that they are giving their daughter a better life.
Married girls are also less likely to be raped. A key reason for rape in many cultures is to
bring dishonour on a person or household. This no longer works when a girl is married; she no
longer needs to maintain her virgin status. Once married, the girls often remain in the house
doing chores. When they do need to leave the house, it is usually with an escort from their
husband for protection. Once a girl is married, she is no longer the target of these violent acts, at
least outside of the home. Domestic violence of this nature can still occur, but it is not considered
shameful as it is the girl’s husband which is a different issue in itself.
Child marriage rates often increase in times of crisis or unrest; to ensure their daughter’s
safety and immediate survival, the best option is to arrange her a marriage. Often the men that
marry young girls are relatively wealthy, or in general just better off than the family is. Out of
love and concern for their daughter, they find someone willing to marry and protect her. In some
cases, it is in the girl’s best interest to marry at that specific point in time. It may not be what is
best for her in the long run, but there are points in developing countries when no one looks past a
week in their future; their only concern is surviving one day at a time. The only flaw in using
child marriage to do this is that it cannot be reversed; once whatever crisis is over the girl will
still be living and committed to this man for the rest of her life. But there are cases in which the
girl still has that life to live thanks to the man she married. He was able to get out of dangerous
situations; others were not or could protect her better than her family would have.
The men that are marrying young girls have no real perception of good and evil. One
essential thing is social status. A man with high social status needs to be considered honourable.
If he does not have a “pure” wife, it reflects poorly on him in the culture. The benefit of a young
bride is the assurance that she is a virgin. Also, it is common in many developing countries that a
woman bears many children. A younger bride means a more extended period to have children.
Often men want at least one male child; the younger the girl is, the longer she can get pregnant
meaning more opportunity to have a boy. There are certain benefits if a man has a child bride
rather than one his age.
Many people from developed countries see issues such as this one as a problem with a
simple solution. However, life is different there; tough decisions have to be made to survive. The
parents of the bride are not emotionless monsters that have sold their daughter for their gain.
They are human beings who had to let go of a child to ensure their safety selflessly. If a ship is
sinking and there is only room for one more person on the lifeboat. If you put your daughter on
it, she will be an orphan, but is it any better to let her drown? In very different terms, this is
essentially the decision the parents in the developing world have to make.
Political Influences
There are political influences that only further perpetuate the prevalence of child
marriage. The government has a pivotal role to play in the fight against child marriage, and it is
through inaction that this human rights violation thrives. It is necessary to identify ways the
government can improve to help eradicate the issue.
Although many governments have ratified a legal age minimum for marriage, there are
small loopholes in the system that allows for child marriage to still occur. Many countries even
allow girls to be married under the age of 18 with parental consent. This does not protect the
girls that are being forced into child marriage by their parents and family members. Also, in a
much smaller number of cases, early marriage is permitted by conventional and religious legal
systems that fundamentally undermine the legal protections that were implemented. With both of
these legal loopholes considered, 30% of the countries globally allow girls as young as 15 to
marry (Girls Not Brides, n.d, p.2). With these loopholes as well as the minimum marital age gap
between males and females; few countries are following the necessary steps to prevent child
marriage.
Religious Influences
Although religion is often blamed for the prevalence of child marriage, the practice is not
limited to one faith. It occurs across a wide range of denominations. In India, for example, child
marriage can be found in both the Muslim and Hindu religious practices (Rachel B. Vogelstein,
2014, p.1). Although the practice is not tied to one faith, the religious leaders still have a pivotal
role to play in eradicating child marriage. This is because child marriages are often ratified
because of a religious ceremony. It has proved successful to involve religious leaders in
combating child marriage. In Ethiopia, Pathfinder International worked with the local faith
leaders as well as government officials to spread awareness. The campaign was to disseminate
information about the dangers of child marriage, and it was found that the community listened
exponentially more when the faith leaders were involved than not.
Some conservative religious groups still support the marriage of young girls such as (but
not exclusive to) evangelical Christian, Orthodox Jewish, and Mormon communities (Derek
Welch, 2017, p.1). Some courtship rituals are used where older men marry younger community
members approved by the girl’s parents. The concept is meant to bring the community together,
but it also brings the opportunity to predatory men to marry young girls. Within some religions,
there are stringent gender roles; women stay at home to take care of children and do chores, the
men work to provide for the family. With these gender roles, a girl would be considered ready to
wed once she can adequately take on those responsibilities, which is usually after puberty. With
these values in religion, often child marriage is viewed as a normal part of life or even a
tradition.
Some old and sacred texts also contain stories involving child marriage, such as the
Qu’ran. Within the Qu’ran is a story of the prophet Muhammad. Muhammad was said to have
married his Aisha when she was only six years old and consummated the marriage at nine
(Myriam Francois-Cerrah, 2012, p.1). At the time, child marriage such as this was a common
practice. However, even having these stories, especially one so well known, involving child
marriage only further perpetuates the issue within the Islamic faith. Stories such as this can
justify child marriage within the religion.
Within a wide range of faiths child marriage is embedded within the sacred texts, because
of this, many religious figures often jump to the defence of the practice, although it is now
considered archaic. Although it is unlikely these stories will be removed from sacred texts, child
marriage within religious communities can be improved if the viewpoints of the religious
influencers are modernized.

Solutions
The International Research Centre on Women (IRCW) published an in-depth analysis of

5 solutions to end child marriage along with evidence to support their findings. IRCW has
worked for 35 years to empower women, advance gender equality, and fight poverty in the
developing world. The research centre work with public and private partners as well as civil
society in order to conduct thorough research. The purpose of this IRCW research paper was to
examine past efforts to eradicate child marriage and how well they worked to find innovative
solutions. With the results of comprehensive research the IRCW determined that strategies
focused on girls’ empowerment, community mobilization, enhanced schooling, economic
incentives, and policy changers have improved knowledge, attitudes, and behavior related to
child marriage prevention. Efforts to solve the global issue of child marriage date back to as
early as the 1920s. The first legislative attempt to end child marriage in India was through the
“Sarda Act” in 1929 (Mukherjee, 2006, p.3). In order to solve the issue of child marriage
globally the multitude of factors driving the prevolance must be recognized.
The IRCW evaluated numerous initiatives to determine their effectiveness in eradicating

child marriage. 18 of the 23 initiatives evaluated were focused on empowering young girls with
information, skills, and support networks. The rationale behind these programs was to allow girls
to better know themselves, the world, and their options for their future. By stopping their social
and economic isolation and enabling them to advocate for themselves there will be both
short-term and long-term benefits. The goal was to show these girls there are alternatives to just
marriage, that there are jobs and education for them if they want it. These programs have been
extremely successful in decreasing the rate of child marriage. The programs incorporate life
skills training teaching girls about health, nutrition, money, finance, legal awareness,
communication, negotiation, and decision-making (Kishori Abhijan, 2008, p.1). Girls between
the ages of 10-24 are brought into these initiatives depending on the country and prevolance of
child marriage. Community-based programs have also been proven to be the most successful of
all initiatives.
Educating and mobilizing parents and community members has also proven successful in
decreasing child marriage rates. The main goal of these initiatives is to create an enabling
environment where young girls can thrive. Through parental education and community
mobilization the change of social norms is possible which creates a more supportive, less
punitive environment for girls. Families who are willing and ready to change the custom of early
marriage are hard to find right away but often they emerge during these initiatives. Enlisting
parents and community members helps to diminish possible unintended consequences of girls’
participation in programs, and also reinforces a program’s messages and activities (PRACHAR,
2004, p.3). Typically this program is implemented in combination with others and therefore it is
not clear how much this initiative affects the failure or success of the overall program.
Research shows that girls’ education is strongly associated with delayed marriage. Girls
with secondary schooling are up to six times less likely to marry as children when compared to
girls who have little or no education (UNICEF, 2007, p.1). Although it is highly debated, more
recent research suggests that being out of school puts girls at risk of marriage rather than
marriage being a reason for girls being pulled out of school (Lloyd, 2006, p.3). Simply being in
school helps a girl to be seen as a child, and thus not marriageable. Other than home, schools can
be seen as a “safe space” for girls despite the concerns surrounding violence and sexual
harassment. The experience and content of schooling help girls to develop social networks and
acquire skills and information, all of which contribute to their ability to better communicate and
negotiate their interests.Past reviews, however, have found this strategy to be under-utilized as a
route to child marriage prevention (Mukherjee, 2008, p.1).
Poverty and the lack of viable income-generating options for girls and young women are
important factors contributing to high child marriage rates. Many initiatives are beginning to
address the economic advantage for families that marry their daughters at an early age. The
rationale behind this approach is that immediate economic opportunities would provide an
acceptable alternative to marriage and increase the value and contribution of the daughter to her
parental family. Furthermore, direct cash in the hands of families can increase their sense of
economic security. This reduces both the economic and social pressure to marry a daughter early.
These financial incentives are sometimes tied to educational investments in daughters and/or to
the condition that they not marry until age 18.
Many countries with high rates of child marriage have laws prohibiting the practice, and
over the years policy efforts to further strengthen and/or enforce such laws have been initiated.
However, policy and legal initiatives present some of the toughest evaluation challenges, since
universal application excludes the possibility of a counterfactual, and it becomes difficult to
differentiate secular trends from those motivated by legal or policy change. One study evaluated
the impact of a legal reform: Indonesia’s 1974 National Marriage Act. The results indicate that
there was no significant deviation from the “secular decline” in the number of child marriages
from 1960 to 1985 (“Indonesia National Marriage Act”, 1974, p.14).
If all of these potential solutions for eradicating child marriage were implemented in
combination over a longer period of time the likelyhood of solving this issue is high. Currently
many individual initiatives are in place, through this it can be discovered the best ways of
implementing new laws and driving change.
Appendix
Figure A1: Map showing prevalence of child marriage by percent. Note grey countries mean
there is no data currently available. (Girls Not Brides Organization. “Child Marriage Around
the World.”)
Figure A2: Readable Version of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; see article 4 in top
left corner. (Created by: Brand2Global. Information from: United Nations “United Nations
Declaration of Human Rights.”)
Figure A3: Sustainable Development Goals Relating to Child Marriage. (Girls Not Brides
Organization “Sustainable Development Goals.”)
Figure A4 Part 1: Full article on Yemeni Child Bride. (The Guardian Newspaper “Yemeni
Child Bride, eight, ‘dies on wedding night’”)
Figure A4 Part 2: Full article on Yemeni Child Bride. (The Guardian Newspaper “Yemeni
Child Bride, eight, ‘dies on wedding night’”
Figure A5: Outline of the costs of child marriage to girls. (Girls Not Brides “Child Marriage: A
Global Problem too Long Ignored”)
Figure A6: Map showing number of Girls Not Brides

members in each country.
Figure A7: Sample Chart

comparing literacy level to
number of children in Warangal
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GIRLS NOT PROPERTY

Girls Not Property;

we need families to make different decisions for their daughters.”

-Sonita Alizadeh; ​Afghan activist fighting forced child marriage

(“Meet Sonita Alizadeh,” 2015).

male family member’s wife (“Meet Sonita Alizadeh,” 2015).

International Governmental Organizations (IGO’S) -organizations that are formed to by the

(“International Governmental Organizations,” n.d, p.1), and Non-Governmental Organization

long term and complicated problem.

narratives have been silenced by those in power?

eradicate them all.

(Nag, 2016, p.1).

marriage at the time.

game of family politics and inheritance -- is as abhorrent to us as it was apparently

completely non-exceptionable in the 14th century. (p.6)

daughter (Mclaughlin, 1997, p.6).

(See Figure A5).

what they felt was their religious and cultural right.

would get married because it was their culture.

one room and her mother and uncle in the other.

for a month at a hair salon.

went back to school.

may be my family’s culture, but it is not mine.”

to become an advocate to end child marriage, Rebecca responded by stating:

form our own opinions. (Girls Not Brides, 2016)

are currently decreasing in Tanzania.

around child marriage’:

enhanced the discussion nationally. (Girls Not Brides, 2016)

following in the footsteps of their predecessors merely because it was taught.

the movement is assured. (Girls Not Brides, 2016)

but she articulated her view in saying:

understood, then child marriage will be eradicated.

The government has a tremendous influence on the prevalence of child marriage. In

the communities still practicing this tradition.

be genuinely disturbed to do this.

making decisions for women.

(“International Governmental Organizations,” n.d.) An NGO or a non-governmental organization

mission statement is:

help reach as many people as possible (Girls Not Brides, n.d.).

providing safe spaces for these girls to learn in a welcoming environment.

helping them understand why child marriage is no longer acceptable.

way to fight back if they become victims of child marriage.

mutilation are high priorities for UNICEF. UNICEF states that:

and societies begin to consider them acceptable.

This is a comprehensive explanation of what has happened in many developing countries.

marriage, UNICEF says:

corporation, so it has many focuses on subcategories such as child marriage.

child marriage by providing “concrete, evidence-based solutions to child marriage, with an

marriage victims while working to implement stricter laws.

Case Study No. 1

communities (Dr. Suresh Lal, 2016, p.1).

community ("History of Child Marriage in India," 2016, p.3).

scolded, and even beaten up.

marriage are not psychologically ready for sexual intercourse or childbearing.

do not understand that a woman's success is not their failure.

solution being implemented is female empowerment. Female empowerment is possible through

Case Study No. 2

Child marriage is deeply rooted in cultures and traditions especially in developing

-Sonita Alizadeh; Afghan activist fighting forced child marriage

Figure A6: Map showing number of Girls Not Brides

Figure A7: Sample Chart