EARLY MARRIAGE

GROUP MEMBERS:
1. GANKON JOY KUYET MICHAEL 2207958
2. PAMELA OMOH AKOMOR 22004022
3. THANDEKILE MPALA 21912095
4. UMU. K. BARRIE 22002736
5. VICTORIA CHIDINMA EZEBUGWU 22112274

INSTRUCTOR:
JOY JOHNSON AGBO
 INTRODUCTION
Women's health refers to the area of healthcare that is concerned with the
diagnosis and management of illnesses and situations that have an impact not
only on a woman's physical health but also on her social and emotional
wellbeing.
 Early marriage is one of the leading social and cultural issues, that has
been, is, and if no proper counter measure is enacted, will continue affecting
women and women’s health in our world. Women, especially those who get
married as children are exposed to many forms of exclusion and
discrimination which causes a negative impact on their health (physical &
mental). Early marriage is a harmful traditional practice that continues to
affect millions around the world.
 CONT’D
Every year millions of girls around the world become brides before the
age of 18. Several measures have been taken by government and NGOs to
eradicate this harmful practice but it still continues to persist, although in
some countries it has declined significantly, it still continues especially in
developing and poverty-stricken countries.

The following are the objectives:

Causes,
Effects,
Solutions and the Summary of EARLY MARRIAGE.
CAUSES OF CHILD MARRIAGES
Cultural and traditional approach
Illiteracy and lack of sex education.
Gender inequality.
Poverty.
 CULTURAL AND TRADITIONAL APPROACH.

In the earlier times, and even in some present culture, the ages of (9-15) is
considered the right time to get married.
It is believed that once a girl reaches puberty stage, she is supposed to get
married. Such practice has made young girls who aren’t ready or prepared, to
go into marriage. Also, some culture sees it as a means to preserve the girl’s
purity (preventing pre-marital sex) because they believe that if she gets married
early, there won’t be an opportunity to mingle with the opposite sex and engage
in pre-marital sex, especially if female circumcision is not an option. Forced
child marriage can also be used to bind together families, clans, and tribes or to
fulfill commitments.
 ILLITERACY AND LACK OF SEX EDUCATION.
 Many cultures perceive sex education for female child as a taboo or as
a medium which exposes the child to sexual immorality. When parents
shy away from giving their girls proper sex education, they are exposing
them to more danger; because lack of formal\sex education makes it
difficult for girls to access information on health for themselves and
know their basic right.
 Girls whose mothers married early and had no education (illiterates),
are likely to marry early, thus contributing to the circle of illiteracy and
early marriage in the subsequent generation.
 GENDER INEQUALITY.

This can also be a factor for early marriage for the

female child because in cultures were the male child
is seen as a better investment compared to the
female child.
 Most families tend to marry off their girl child
early in other to relieve their families from the
‘financial burden’ that the female child is, because
they believe that when she is married, she now
becomes her husband’s responsibility, and it is also
a means of getting money (bride price/dowry) for
the family.
 POVERTY.
Poverty is one of the key factors that lead to early marriage. In
situations of great poverty, a young girl could be considered a
financial burden. The family is relieved of that burden if she marries
an older wealthy man, a practice that is common in many Middle
Eastern and South Asian societies.
In Sub-Saharan African traditional civilizations, the bride's family
may get livestock as the bride price for their daughter from the
groom or the groom's family.
 CONT’D
A new UNICEF study in West Africa as a whole reveal that economic
hardship is fueling a spike in early marriage, even among some
population groups who do not normally practice it. For instance,
marrying young girls is a widespread practice in Afghanistan, several
regions of the Middle East, and Pakistan's Northwest Frontier Province
to help the brides' families pay off debts or resolve inter-family dispute.
EFFECTS OF EARLY MARRIAGE
HEALTH EFFECTS

HIV and Sexually transmitted diseases.

Girls who are married as adolescents to men who have had many previous
sexual partners are more likely to contract HIV and STI’s due to a lack of
sexual and reproductive health education, and a lack of power to negotiate
safe sex or refusal of sex. The tragedy of STI’s and HIV/AIDS for girls
comes full circle as AIDS is a leading cause of death amongst adults, of
which increases the married adolescent girls’ vulnerability into getting
transmitted.
Higher risk of poor reproductive health status of the mother
and child well-being
Women married at an early age are
exposed to frequent childbearing,
unplanned motherhood and abortions,
which negatively affects their nutritional
status and the reproductive health.
 Children born to mothers with poor
reproductive health have lower chances of
survival and a higher likelihood of failure
to thrive (stunted growth and
underweight).
 CONT`D
Prolonged/obstructed labor - is when the baby cannot exit the pelvis during
childbirth due to being physically blocked, despite the uterus contracting
normally leading to long term complications to the mother.
Obstetric fistula is one of the most serious and tragic childbirth injuries that
occur when the mother of the child is having a prolonged labor especially and
at young age since they have not yet fully matured. It is a hole between the birth
canal and bladder and/or rectum. This takes place when emergency care is not
provided or available for the mother.
Increase in maternal and neonatal mortality rate ( still births, hemorrhage,
sepsis, fetal distress)
Emotional and mental effects
Depression
Overwhelming fatigue
Low self-esteem
Suicidal thoughts and that of harming the infant
Self neglect
DOMESTIC BASED VIOLENCE
Girls who are married as children are more likely to experience domestic
violence, and have a lower status in society, because too often child brides are
denied their rights to be free from sexual and gender-based violence as well as
their right to consent to marriage and equality in marriage.
Sexual violence is highly associated with a greater likelihood of separation
between the married couple leading to divorce, however divorce and
abandonment often plunges a woman into poverty, thus early marriage
contributing to the Feminization of poverty and its resulting impact on
children.
 Low levels of education and dropout, leading to
poverty and instability.
This means that girls lose the opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills.
Leaving school also takes them away from friends and spaces where they
develop social skills and networks as well as support systems, limiting
employment opportunities.
This increases the likelihood of economic dependence on their spouse, and
limits their bargaining power within their marriage . Additionally, unequal
power dynamics is often heightened in these marriages due to significant age
disparities between spouses, which further reduces the ability of the woman
to negotiate and exercise their rights within the marriage
With every child bride we lose a future teacher, doctor, scientist,
entrepreneur or political leader and a brighter future!
10 WAYS TO PREVENT EARLY MARRIAGE

1. Educate girls
2. Empower girls
3. Educate parents
4. Mobilize religious leaders and community elders
5. Support adolescent girls who are already married
6. Support legislation against child marriage
CONT’D
• 7. Provide relevant economic support
• 8. Get informed and take action
• 9. Support obstetric fistula campaigns and organizations
• 10.Support artists photographers and journalists who raise
awareness about child marriage
 EDUCATE GIRLS
A majority of girls that come from a home were education is not valued, some
manage to be educated but their families still remain uneducated therefore, lack
certain knowledge of Hunan Right and effects/ harm it will impact on young
girls getting married early. Educating and Sensitizing can change the story

EMPOWER GIRLS
Many Girls in the community have low self-Esteem. They were trained to see
themselves as marriage materials and being with a man to complete the cycle of
life. Empowering girls to change their mindset and boosting their self-esteem in
a positive way, and can still give presence to their culture will be a great
contributory factor to ending Child Marriage.
 EDUCATE PARENTS.

Some parents from a strong cultural background/traditional

communities believe that Child Marriage is a way of protecting their
daughters from immoral acts/ premarital sec and so they’ll go all out to
protect their child and family image from cultural shame.
 Most of them also feel it is a way of taking care of their child
financially because of poor economic background. Parents of these
nature will benefit greatly from educating them on the serious harmful
effects of forced or early child Marriage.
MOBILIZE RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND
COMMUNITY ELDERS.

Men in the communities are mostly the ones making family

decisions on child Marriage. Educating and sensitizing them will
not only change their mindset but will eventually put in the work
to practice.
 PROVIDE RELEVANT ECONOMIC SUPPORT
Poverty in families is often the most prevalent reasons cited for forcing
girls into early marriage. Family may know or not know or neglect the
effects of harmful early Marriage. They marry off their daughters as the
dowry payment or financial support to the family. Some exchange their
daughters as a form of payment. Providing Relevant Support to the
child sponsoring the needs of her education can limit the need for early
child Marriage.
 SUPPORT OBSTETRIC FISTULA CAMPAIGNS

Fistula is one of the most problems for adolescent

girls giving birth and it occurs during obstructed
labor often when emergency care is unavailable.
According to FREE FISTULA FOUNDATION, an
estimated number of 2 million women in Africa
suffers silently with an OBSTETRIC FISTULA.
Supporting this charity and others combating this
problem will however help many victims of child
Marriage from the maternal health care approach.
 SUPPORT ARTIST PHOTOGRAHERS AND
JOURNALISTS WHO RAISE
AWARENESS ABOUT CHILD MARRIAGE.

Raising awareness is vital because child Marriage

has been hidden away for centuries and needs to
be addressed publicly. By so doing, reaching out to
the crowd in different media platforms, artistry
Acting’s and photographic shots are all ways one
can reach out information and awareness even to
the lame. Putting tight security with regards to
early marriage enforcing the law can also be a
greater contributory factor to ending Child
Marriage.
 SUMMMARY
We have talked about what Early Marriage is in the course of our study, often known as child
marriage, is the union of two persons when one or both parties are under the age of 18, especially
children at the age of 9-16. It is a widespread traditional practice in developing nations, particularly
Ethiopia, and it has a negative impact on both boys and girls' possibilities for personal development
and education. It also has substantial physical, intellectual, psychological, and emotional impacts.

We mentioned the causes of Early Marriage, Cultural and Traditional Approach, Illiteracy and lack of
sex education, Gender inequality, Poverty. The main causes of such high rates of child marriage were
shown to be severe poverty, a lack of access to health care, education, and employment opportunities,
especially for girls, as well as inadequate legal and enforcement systems. Gender inequality and the
idea that girls and women are less valuable than boys and men are at the basis of child marriage.
Poverty, illiteracy, negative societal norms and practices, and insecurity make it worse.
 CONT’D
Just to refresh your memory we also discussed the effects of Early Marriage.
Early marriage may result in poor health, inadequate care, unintended
pregnancies, and an excessive amount of household work for the young woman.
When a girl is forced into an early marriage, she might not know how to care
for her family, herself, or even the house. You might see the mother cooking
while the kids dispose of waste that could later cause sickness and infections,
such as cholera, diarrhea, and typhoid because of contaminated water.
CONT’D
She might be reckless if you force your child into an early marriage. She
might not be able to manage her house or even communicate with the locals.
She is worried because of the lack of attention, thus there will be a problem
Finally, we discussed the preventive measures is to transform cultural norms,
to support and scale up community program, provide economic opportunities
for young women and most importantly increase access to Girl’s education
because according to research, programs that expand or offer access to
education for girls are essential to postponing marriage. Compared to girls
with zero to three years of education, those with eight or more years of
education are less likely to get married young. However, a basic education is
insufficient.
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