Concept paper Child Marriage In Mithi Introduction:

Concept paper

Child Marriage In Mithi

Introduction: 

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     Child marriage, defined as marriage before age of 18 (puberty) is a violation of human rights whether it happens to a girl or a boy. Compromising the development of girls and often resulting in early pregnancy and social isolation, with little education and poor vocational training reinforcing the gendered nature of poverty. Most child marriages are also forced marriages, where the consent of the child is not considered before the consummation of the union. While boys are affected by child marriage, the issue impacts girls in for larger numbers and with more intensity. It represents perhaps the most prevalent from of sexual abuse and exploitation of girls. The harmful consequences include separation from family and friends, lack of freedom to interact with peers and participate in community activities and decreased opportunities for education. Child marriage can also result in bonded labor or enslavement, sexual exploitation and violence against the victims. Child bride often exposed to such serious health risks as premature pregnancy, sexual transmitted infection and increasingly HIV/AIDS. Parents may consent to child marriage out of economic necessity, marriage may be seen as a way to provide male guardianship for their daughters, protect them from sexual assault and avoid pregnancy outside marriage.

 The reason behind Child marriage are, firstly girls are either seen as an economic burden or valued as capital for their exchange value in terms of goods, money or livestock. Secondly, child marriage is prevalent here is strong social pressure on families to either conform or ready to face ridicule or family shame. Thirdly child marriage often regarded as necessary for controlling girls ‘sexuality which is directly linked to family honor and status. In many cases parents turn to child marriages in order to secure a future for their daughters. Situation of insecurity and acute poverty can prompt parents to resort to child marriage as a protective mechanism or survival strategy. However Sindh provincial assembly is the first legislature in the country who passed child marriage Restraint Bill unanimously in 2013. Regarding child marriage restraint bill 2013 parents and other facilitator of child marriage would be penalized and punished, unfortunately   this child marriage restraint bill has not been implemented yet.

In district Tharparkar, socio economic conditions must be taken into consideration, such as stubborn practice of early marriage which results in infant and maternal mortality rates. In drought affected Tharparkar most death cases of infant child have recorded recently, it all happened due to premature birth of child which badly affects young mother along with child.        

Consequences of child marriage:

Health:

                  Obstetric fistula is one of the most devastating consequences of early marriages. In Tharparkar, majority of young brides have limited access to contraception and reproductive health services and information. They are expose to early and frequent sexual relations and to repeated pregnancies and child birth before the become physically mature.

Education: 

                         

               In district Mithi, situation is more critical regarding girls education.  According to Human rights research, education is the strongest predicator of marriage age. It shows that the greatest obstacles to girls education as identifies in many marriages, pregnancy and domestic chores.

Poverty:

                  Early marriage affects particularly poorest in population and helps to reinforce cycle of poverty. Child wives tend to have more children and less independent income option. Poverty ultimately fuels child marriage, which in turn perpetuates the feminization of poverty. This situation also supported by country economic indicators for measuring the health and poverty.

Domestic violence:

                                   Child brides are often more likely to experience domestic violence and less likely to take action against this abuse. Girls who marry early are also more likely to believe that a man is justified in beating his wife.

What DDAT planned strategy to address the issues?

                                                                   

                                                                             DDAT is the non- profit and nongovernmental organization which is working on gender equality, poverty alleviation and awareness campaigning about women and minority rights in district Tharparkar and Umerkot.

Child marriage is a very crucial issue and it need to take some pre-emptive measures, some steps which could be taken in order to combat and stop child marriage are:

1)      Creating an effective Human Rights Framework:

                                                                               A human Rights framework is a powerful tool of preventing child marriages and empowering girls who are vulnerable to such practices. Government who ratify international Human rights convention are bound to provide basic human rights to their citizens, while Pakistan ratified the UN convention  on rights of child in 1990, which prohibit child marriage, but in spite of that  government have not been taking  such measures.

2)      Creating  awareness:

                                      It is important that awareness of the issue be created among the population. Adolescent need to be informed of their rights, but most importantly parents need to be informed of their responsibilities towards children. It is necessary to initiate dialogue with them and inform them of the effects of such practices. Public awareness programs would be started on a wider scale, targeting all communities, especially in rural areas. Through awareness session, social norms and tradition which uphold child marriage would be discouraged. Community programs would be supported and uprooted, as tradition has to be change from grass- root level.

3)      Removing Gender Inequality:

                                                       In male dominated society gender equality remained a key issues and it create inferiority within girls and women. Regard the removal of gender inequality    girls education would be priority. Through the better education girls will be empowered and they will get self confident and self assurance. Vocational trainings and capacity building would be provided to girls.

4)      Creating awareness in married Adolescent:

      

                                                                             It is important that adolescent girls who are already trapped in the shackles of child marriage must not be ignored.  Awareness programs would be organized in different places throughout District in which young married girls will be oriented by how to live in healthy, safe and productive manner. Workshops will held on Contraceptive awareness, HIV protection and safe childbirth.

                                               

                                           

Objectives of project:

                                             To adopt a strategies specially focusing on girls empowerment, community mobilization, enhanced schooling, economic incentives and take efforts to change attitude and behavior related to child marriage prevention. For the prevention of child marriage to enhance large scale structural efforts amid at other goals, such as health, poverty reduction and education.

       Implementation:

                                 For the implementation, we will conduct meetings with human rights activist, religious scholars, civil society members and government administration throughout district to tackle the problem. For the awareness of early marriages effect seminar will be organized in different places. Training will be given to lady health worker who can play a vital role in the campaign against child marriage.