WHAT IS EARLY MARRIAGE?
Early marriage is defined as the marriage of children and adolescents below the age of
18 years when the girl is not yet physically and emotionally mature enough to bear a child and
take the social responsibility of the wife
IS EARLY MARRIAGE A GOOD THING OR NOT?
Early marriage can lead to less satisfaction in mid-life, long-term study shows.
Delaying marriage could make you happier in the long run, according to new University of
Alberta research.
REASONS OF EARLY MARRIAGE
Poverty and lack of education increase child marriage
The primary reasons for such high rates of child marriage were found to be lack of access to
education, economic opportunity, and health services, particularly for girls, alongside severe
poverty and weak legal and enforcement mechanisms
Other girls marry because of personal choice, while some are forced to marry due
to poverty. Parents have a lesser burden once their children are married off. Moreover, some
children chose to marry early to get out of the house due to abusive family members
EFFECTS
The consequences of child marriage on girls and boys are numerous and far-reaching,
directly causing grave harms, including the denial of education, perpetuation of poverty,
and increased likelihood and risks of early pregnancy, childbirth, maternal mortality,
and sexual violence.
Maternal Mortality
The death of a woman during pregnancy, at delivery, or soon after delivery is a tragedy
for her family and for society as a whole. Sadly, about 700 women die each year in the
United States as a result of pregnancy or delivery complications.
Sexual Violence
Sexual violence is a broad category of actions in which a person exerts their power
and control over another person through unwanted or harmful sexual actions.