The Tragedy of Child Marriages

“When you kill a man, you steal a life. You steal his dreams, his hopes, his future.” – The Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Dreams and hope are what keeps a human being, who enters this world as a mere seed, alive. Once you take away a person's ability to dream, you strip them of purpose, ultimately killing them even before their natural death. Child marriage is one such practice, that has the power to kill a precious life. This tragic force, however, has existed for centuries and its persistence continues to hinder the development of society. This piece is an effort to bring an understanding of the negative consequences of child marriages, and what we, the youth, can do to prevent it, to build a better future.

Child Marriages

According to the United Nations, “child marriages” are a human rights issue, which they aim to eradicate by 2030 under the Sustainable Development Goals . By definition “child marriage” is any formal marriage or an informal union between a person under the age of 18 years and another such person, or an adult (person above the age of 18 years). (Child Marriage, n.d.)

Until the 20th century, child marriages were a norm in most parts of the world. It was often linked to the desire for faster reproduction as the average life expectancy of a person was 40-45 years of age .The system of dowry was a burden related to girls, which made the girls a burden to the family. However, the market had a greater demand for the young girls. Therefore, the families could marry off their young daughters to older men without a dowry and receive money in return, which incentivized child marriage. Further, the cases of foreign invasions where girls have got raped have also led to child marriages in order to protect them. (Nag, 2017) Likewise, child marriages have occurred throughout centuries due to various reasons.

Current Occurrences of Child Marriages

According to the UNICEF reports, the highest number of reported child marriages are from West and Central Africa. Accordingly, 4 in 10 young women get into marriages before turning the age of 18. 115 million boys under the age of 18 also get married globally, further highlighting the problematic nature of the issue. (UNICEF, 2023)

When it comes to current trends related to child marriages, global prevalence has reduced by 23% from a decade ago. However, the progress has been uneven across countries and regions. Accordingly, the poorer the households are, the higher the child marriages. South Asia has reported the greatest declines in prevalence but still has a great burden as 45% of child brides are living in the region. According to the current rate of progress, it is predicted that it’ll take 300 years to end child marriages in the world. (The Latest Evidence on Child Marriage: Trends in Prevalence and Burden Around the World, 2023)

Consequences of Child Marriages

The consequences of child marriages speak volumes on why these practices should be eliminated from society. The impact of such marriages ranges from the individual to the societal level. Some of the consequences are as follows.

1. Issues related to mental health – A major number of child brides face isolation and depression. This is due to the huge age gap between them and their spouses. Further, immaturity and lack of understanding of how to navigate a marital relationship often led to emotional distress and other mental health issues. (Mahato, 2016)

2. Risk of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and HIV – In child marriages the younger spouse is often subject to the risk of STDs, due to lack of sex education, and having unprotected intercourse with older spouses who might have had multiple partners, and have been exposed to STDs. Further, physical immaturity, such as hymenal and vaginal lacerations, makes them vulnerable to sexual diseases. (Mahato, 2016)

3. High maternal and infant mortality rates – Physical immaturity and poor nutrition lead young brides to face complications such as eclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage, obstructed labor, and sepsis during pregnancy and giving birth. This increases the mortality rate of both the mothers and the infants. (Mahato, 2016)

4. Educational and Economic consequences – The lack of education among women that results from child marriages further perpetuates the gender inequality, discrimination, and low social status of women. It also results in the poor personal development of individuals, which affects the development of society negatively. (Mahato, 2016)

Role of Youth in Eliminating Child Marriages

Child marriages vary according to factors such as culture, state, and circumstances. Therefore, it is difficult to give a single solution. However, collaboration and support of individuals from varying groups such as youth, men, women, and children should be present to combat this issue.

1. Raising awareness and challenging harmful norms

Youth can organize various initiatives such as dialogues, conferences, and awareness programs to spread awareness about the negative effects of child marriages. Social media platforms can also be used to spread awareness. These methods can be helpful in challenging the harmful norms in society, and bring out long-term positive results in eliminating child marriages.

2. Supporting Girls’ Education

Girls who are at risk of marrying young can be protected by giving them an opportunity for education. Accordingly, youth can organize initiatives to spread awareness about the importance of education for girls. Further, contributions can be made by bringing sponsorships and funding for programs targeted toward young girls who are at risk of child marriages.

3. Engaging with Traditional and Religious Leaders

Youth can work towards engaging traditional and religious groups with initiatives to combat the issue. Since these figures have power over the masses, it will bring tangible results in eliminating child marriages as a long-term goal.

4. Empowering women

Conducting workshops and programs to promote gender equality, and make women and young girls aware of their rights, can also contribute to the eradication of child marriages. Further, organizing initiatives to provide resources to develop the skills of young girls would empower them to fight against the discrimination and unfairness they face through the established system.

(What Is Child Marriage and Why Does It Happen? - Plan International, 2025)

Conclusion

Child marriages are a human rights violation. It takes the right of young girls and boys to live a life according to their own needs and wants. Further, it hinders the development of the society as a whole. Accordingly, youth, the leaders of the next generation, have an important role in combatting and eliminating child marriages. With the unity of various groups, this issue could be eradicated to build a strong and developed future.

References

Child marriage. (n.d.). UNICEF. https://www.unicef.org/protection/child-marriage

The latest evidence on child marriage: Trends in prevalence and burden around the world. (2023, July 13). Girls Not Brides. https://www.girlsnotbrides.org/learning-resources/events/the-latest-evidence-on-child-marriage-trends-in-prevalence-and-burden-around-the-world/

Mahato, S. K. (2016). Causes and Consequences of Child Marriage: A Perspective. International Journal of Scientific and Engineering Research, 7(7), 698–702. https://doi.org/10.14299/ijser.2016.07.002

What is child marriage and why does it happen? - Plan International. (2025, January 2). Plan International. https://plan-international.org/learn/what-child-marriage-why-does-happen/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAqrG9BhAVEiwAaPu5zrJ8jgKU_y_fVoTqyZHYpwxE3It9B_0zM16oxm15QyQr2DA_hPbCORoCTpoQAvD_BwE

Nag, O. S. (2017, April 25). Child marriage - rationale, historical views, and consequences. WorldAtlas. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/child-marriage-rationale-historical-views-and-consequences.html

UNICEF. (2023, December 19). Child marriage - UNICEF DATA. UNICEF DATA. https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/child-marriage/