Imagine being kidnapped from your home or even sold from your parents, and forced to either die or marry someone three times your age. What if escape is not an option, because you have nowhere else to turn, and you may mostly likely be beaten or killed? There is a huge problem with forced marriage in the world today, and most of them are children. A forced marriage is a marriage performed without the consent of both parties. More than one hundred young girls in the developing world will be married in the next ten years. Why does this happen? Some parents will force their children to marry, because they feel that these men can give them financial security. Child marriage is also viewed as preserving a family’s honor. What are the effects of child marriage? Child marriage brings about many problems such as abuse, health problems, maternal /infant mortality, AIDS, illiteracy, and even abandonment.
Programs like the Institute of Health Management Pachod, work in countries like India, and provide skills and education for these young girls. Programs like this are helpful, because most of these girls have only up to a fourth grade education. Anju Malhorta, vice president of the International Center for Research on Women, finds that many girls and parents that live in communities where child marriage is common want to delay the age to eighteen, but lack the resources. Anju Malhorta also believes international donors could improve effectiveness of aid money integrating child marriage prevention into current development initiatives, ensure the health and survival of infants, and most importantly, invest in girls’ education.
This topic raises a question that we all should ask, is this really slavery? The dictionary definition of slavery is the state or condition of being a slave; a civil relationship whereby one person has absolute power over another and controls his life, liberty, and fortune. Slavery? You decide.
Programs like the Institute of Health Management Pachod, work in countries like India, and provide skills and education for these young girls. Programs like this are helpful, because most of these girls have only up to a fourth grade education. Anju Malhorta, vice president of the International Center for Research on Women, finds that many girls and parents that live in communities where child marriage is common want to delay the age to eighteen, but lack the resources. Anju Malhorta also believes international donors could improve effectiveness of aid money integrating child marriage prevention into current development initiatives, ensure the health and survival of infants, and most importantly, invest in girls’ education.
This topic raises a question that we all should ask, is this really slavery? The dictionary definition of slavery is the state or condition of being a slave; a civil relationship whereby one person has absolute power over another and controls his life, liberty, and fortune. Slavery? You decide.
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ReplyDeleteThese parents force their kids into marriage in the hopes that it will provide their daughter with financial security. This is another example of how poverty leads to slavery and other abusive situations. This reiterates the point that ending poverty can help end slavery and other abusive practices.
ReplyDeleteOctober 13, 2010 12:33 PM
I agree with JSH, I think that ending poverty will help. However, I also think that education would help. More programs like the ones Elyse mentioned should be implemented. If these girls have the funds to continue going to school, then there is no reason for them to be forced into marriage. I think that between keeping young girls in school and making strides towards ending poverty, the forced marriage rate should decrease drastically.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with JSH,because the ending of poverty in these countries would better the conditions of these young girls. They should also be allowed to gain an education. That would also help to end the poverty.
ReplyDeleteYour comments are all very interesting. And they force us to ask a very important question -- are we misdirecting our efforts if we pursue slavery instead of simply pursuing the issue of poverty alleviation? What if we all simply dedicated all of our energy to poverty alleviation? Would it simply end slavery? Kevin Bales discusses this issue and contends that ending slavery will actually help to alleviate poverty. We'll have to talk about this chicken and egg issue.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Jackson in that these girls are given up willingly in hopes of a better future. People who live in developing countries and in any country where child marriage occurs should be educated on the immorality of the custom and the effects it has on the child. No human should ever be put through forced marriage (which many times involves sexual, physical, and psychological abuse), let alone a child.
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