In most African countries, at least 30 percent of all girlsare married before they reach age 18. Many of these girls become a man’swife against their will. The high number of young wives has led the AfricanUnion to launch a two-year campaign to end child marriage in Africa.
Parents in developing countries force 14-million girls below the age of 18 toget married each year. Most of these countries are in Africa.
Zenabu is a 16-year-old girl from Niger.
She says that she was taken out of school by her parents to get married. Shesays her husband beat her if she did not want him to touch her. She ran awayto her parents, but they also beat her and returned her to her husband. Shelater ran away to another family member and now wants to return to school.
Girls married at a young age often develop mental disorders. They may alsosuffer other health problems because of an early pregnancy and are less likelyto get an education. Most of the girls come from poorly educated families andrural areas where young women cannot oppose cultural traditions.
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Bridesmaids from Kenya's smallest ethnic group El-molo prepare for a wedding ceremony in El-molo bay in Loiyangalani, northeastern Kenya, June 29, 2006. |
The African Union campaign to end child marriage is aimed at policy actionand on raising understanding of the problem. Olawale Maiyegun is thedirector of the AU’s Social Affairs Commission. He says AU membercountries should follow and enforce laws and policies that protect children.
“The Charter on the Rights of the Child, for example, has clear provisions onharmful practices against the child. And it’s clear in the provisions of thecharter that cultural or religious or whatever should not be an excuse and thatstates must take measures to eliminate them. People use all sorts ofexcuses to perpetuate what they are doing, but it’s not an excuse as far as thecommission is concerned.”
Among African countries, child marriage rates are highest in Niger and Chad. The rates there are above 70 percent. In Zambia, the rate is 42 percent. Tengovernment ministries are working together to bring that rate down.
Nkandu Luo is the Zambian Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs.
“The reason we felt that the chiefs should be the ones is because it hinges oncustomary law and there’s also a belief it has to do with our cultures. Whenany parent is reported to the chief, first of all they appear before the chiefbecause there is the traditional court. So they appear before the traditionalcourt, and they are charged according to the decision by the traditional court. But also they make sure they go and take that child out of marriage and puther back into school.”
The End Child Marriage campaign is done in cooperation with Africangovernments, civil society organizations and the United Nations Children’sFund.
