Too young to wed. The lives rights and health of young married girls.

Abstract

Millions of young girls in the developing world are married when they are still children and as a result are denied the ordinary experiences that young people elsewhere take for granted: schooling good health economic opportunities and friendship with peers. Despite national laws and international agreements forbidding early marriage gender roles and marriage systems in many countries dictate the practice through which girls are deprived of basic rights and subjected to discrimination and health risks. Instead of being viewed as children or teenagers with potential and opportunities in their lives girls are often defined by social custom solely wives and mothers. This limited view exposes girls to responsibilities and risks that they are often not physically or mentally prepared to undertake while at the same time disrupting their prospects for education and employment. In addition to having a negative impact on girls themselves the practice of early marriage also has negative consequences for children families and society as a whole. (excerpt)