7/27/2019 CHILD MARRIAGE.docx

1/2

CHILD MARRIAGE

Child marriage is defined as a formal marriage or informal union before the age of 18.[1]

While

child marriage is observed for both boys and girls, disproportionately most affected worldwide

are girls. It is related to child betrothal and unmarried teenage pregnancy.

In some cases only one marriage-partner is a child, usually the female, due to importance placed

upon female virginity. Other causes of child marriage include poverty, bride price,dowry, laws

that allow child marriages, religious and social pressures, regional customs, fear of remaining

unmarried, and perceived inability of women to work for money.

Child marriage was common in human history. Today child marriages are fairly widespread in

parts of the world, especially in Africa,[2][3]

South Asia,[4]

Southeast and East Asia,[5][6]

West

Asia,[7][8]

Latin America,[7]

and Oceania.[9]

The incidence rates of child marriage have been

falling in most parts of the world. The five nations with the highest observed rates of child

marriages in the world, below the age of 18,

are Niger, Chad, Mali, Bangladesh andGuinea.

[10]

The top three nations with greater than 20%rates of child marriages below the age of 15 are Niger, Bangladesh and Guinea

Before modern history, child marriage was a common practice found everywhere in the world.

With the advent of 20th century, the practice began to be questioned, discouraged by a majority

but not all governments, and child marriage practice has been declining across the world.

In ancient and medieval societies, girls would be betrothed at or before puberty.[12][13]

In Greece,

early wedding and early motherhood for girls was encouraged.[14]

Even boys were expected to

marry before they reached the age of 18. With an average life expectancy for human beings

between 40 to 45 years, around the world, early marriages and teenage motherhood was typical.In Ancient Rome, girls married above the age of 12 and boys above 14.

[15]In the Middle Ages,

under English civil laws that were derived from Roman laws, marriages before the age of 16

were common. In Imperial China, child marriage was the norm.[16][17]

Friedman claims, "arranging and contracting the marriage of a young girl were the undisputed

prerogatives of her father in ancient Israel." Most girls were married before the age of 15, often

at the start of their puberty.[18]

Most religions, over history, influenced the marriageable age. For example, Christian

ecclesiastical law forbade marriage of a girl before the age of puberty.[19]

Hindu vedic scriptures

mandated the age of a girl's marriage to be adulthood which they defined as three years after theonset of puberty.

[20]Jewish scholars and rabbis strongly discouraged marriages before the onset

of puberty.[18]

In contrast, some Islamic marriage practices have permitted marriage of girls

below the age of 10, because Sharia law is based in part on the life and practices ofMuhammad,

the Prophet, as described in part in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. The Prophet

married Aisha, his fourth wife, and consummated the marriage before she reached the age of 10.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betrothalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teenage_pregnancyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Povertyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bride_pricehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dowryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religioushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_pressurehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-pbs2010-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-pbs2010-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-pbs2010-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-pbs2010-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-pbs2010-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-pbs2010-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chadhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladeshhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guineahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-unicef12a-10http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-unicef12a-10http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-unicef12a-10http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-laiou93-12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-laiou93-12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-laiou93-12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-14http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-14http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-14http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-ncbi-15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-ncbi-15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-ncbi-15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_law_(legal_system)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-16http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-16http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-16http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-friedman80-18http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-friedman80-18http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-friedman80-18http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-19http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-19http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-19http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-20http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-20http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-20http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-friedman80-18http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-friedman80-18http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-friedman80-18http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage_in_Islamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammadhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahih_Bukharihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahih_Muslimhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aishahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aishahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahih_Muslimhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahih_Bukharihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammadhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage_in_Islamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-friedman80-18http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-20http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-19http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-friedman80-18http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-16http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-16http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_law_(legal_system)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-ncbi-15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-14http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-laiou93-12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-laiou93-12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-unicef12a-10http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guineahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladeshhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chadhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-pbs2010-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-pbs2010-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-pbs2010-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_pressurehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religioushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dowryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bride_pricehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Povertyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teenage_pregnancyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betrothalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage

7/27/2019 CHILD MARRIAGE.docx

2/2

Narrated 'Aisha: that the Prophet married her when she was six years old and he consummated

his marriage when she was nine years old, and then she remained with him for nine years (i.e.,

till his death).

Sahih al-Bukhari, 7:62:64

Some Islamic scholars have suggested that it is not the number that matters; marriageable age

under religious laws of Islam is the age when the guardians of the girl feel she has reached sexual

maturity. Such determination of sexual maturity is a matter of subjective judgment, and there is a

strong belief among most Muslims and scholars, based on Sharia, that marrying a girl less than

13 years old is an acceptable practice for Muslims

Dowry is the parental property that is distributed to a daughter at her marriage, instead of after

parent's death. It has been an ancient practice, but often an economic challenge for the bride's

family. The difficulty to save and preserve wealth for dowry was common, particularly in times

of economic hardship, or persecution, or unpredictable seizure of property and savings for

discriminatory taxes such as Jizya. These difficulties pressed families to betroth their girl,

irrespective of her age, as soon as they had the resources to pay the dowry. Thus, Goitein notes

that European Jews would marry their girls early, once they had collected the expected amount

of dowry.[24]

Bride price is the price paid by the groom to the parents of a bride to marry their daughter. In

some countries, the younger the bride, the higher the price she may fetch.[25]

This practice creates

an economic incentive where girls are sought and married early by her family to the highest

bidder. Child marriages of girls is a way out of desperate economic conditions, or simply a

source of income to the parents.[26][27][28]

Bride price is another cause of child marriage and childtrafficking

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahih_al-Bukharihttp://www.usc.edu/org/cmje/religious-texts/hadith/bukhari/062-sbt.php#007.062.064http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_maturityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_maturityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dowryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jizyahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-goitein78-24http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-goitein78-24http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-goitein78-24http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bride_pricehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-25http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-25http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-25http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-26http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-26http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-28http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-28http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_traffickinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_traffickinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_traffickinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_traffickinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-28http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-26http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-26http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-25http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bride_pricehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_marriage#cite_note-goitein78-24http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jizyahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dowryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_maturityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_maturityhttp://www.usc.edu/org/cmje/religious-texts/hadith/bukhari/062-sbt.php#007.062.064http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahih_al-Bukhari