Girls Not Bride

Nepal has initiated crucial steps over past few years to upgrade child right, but our nation still exhibit maximum rates of child marriage in global context. Document released by HRW(Human Right watch) said, 37% Nepalese girls married before age of 18 and 10% get married before their fifteenths birthday.

Perception of girl as burden of family often stems the rate of child marriage. It’s also driven by traditional values and parents desire to give authentic guardianship for daughter, avoid illegal pregnancy, and ensure daughter’s sexuality to protect family’s pride. Child marriage often passes unquestioned and also gets moral permission just because it has happened since generations. Despite national condemnation, this illegal practice is thriving in rural parts of central Terai, followed by Siraha, Rauthat, Kapilbastu, Bara, Parsa and Rupandehi. However driver cause of child marriage may differ within various communities. Particularly, in communities where “bride price” or dowry exists; young bride require lower payment so poor parents marry their daughter at early age to avoid higher dowry price. One study shows that, girls from prosperous family marry 2 years later than those of deprived origin. Marrying daughter at very early age can be viewed as opportunity to avoid economic hardship and handover ‘burden’ to bridegroom’s family. In marginalize society not only the family but also girl herself believes that marriage will secure her and family’s future. Similarly during transitional period, such as conflict or post-disaster phenomena, when deprived families encounter greater hardship, they view marrying daughter as coping strategy to face crises.

The most alarming and obvious consequence of child marriage is, of course, early pregnancy. Early pregnancy in turn perpetuates increasing maternal mortality and infant mortality rate. Girls married before 18 usually beget child before they are physically prepared .Each year in developing countries, 13.7% girls’ aged 15–19 dies during pregnancy and infant death rate is also 50% higher from mothers under 20 years.

At first sight, ending child marriage calls for societal change across all sectors and at multiple levels. It requires us to identify parental drivers behind child marriage and carry out action plans accordingly. Secondly, this complicated question of child marriage has simple theoretical answer “Education”. Girls are more likely to control their own life and bring societal reformation when they have access to higher levels of education. Many studies by UNIFEF has shown that early marriage is highly practiced in those community where education is not feasible or ignored.

Adopting empowerment approach can bring positive outcomes for women by encouraging her to become agent of change. It is necessary that women are empowered to advocate for themselves and forge their own future. Till now child marriage withstand on base of societal support, so reinforcing inclusive social change would help to promote conditions in which education and awareness can out-throw the practice of child marriage.

Works cited

1. Joint press release of UNICEF. http://www.unicef.org/media/media_68114.html . NEW YORK, 7 March 2013.
2. United nations Population Fund Report. Marrying too Young;End Child Marriage. New York 2012
3. UNFPA. Child Marriage Profiles. 2012a. http://www.devinfo.info/mdg5b/profiles/files/profiles/4/Child_Marriage_Country_Profile _ASINPL_Nepal.pdf
4. Child marriage in Nepal Research Report — 2012.Plan Nepal , Save the children, World Vision International Nepal.
5. United Nation Population Fund. Giving birth should not be the matter of life and death. http://www.unfpa.org/webdav/site/global/shared/factsheets/srh/EN- SRH%20fact%20sheet-LifeandDeath.pdf. Updated on December 2012
6. Central Bureau of Statistics, 2012. Nepal Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2010, Mid- and Far Western Regions, Final Report. Kathmandu: Central Bureau of Statistics and UNICEF Nepal.

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