A distinguished male colleague at work had invited us for his wedding. We took airplane flights to the venue of his wedding in a northern state of the country and after we disembarked flights, proceeded in cars to the party venue. During our journey, we commented on the beautiful scenery including that of a group of beautiful 9 to 10 year old girls playing innocently on the roadside with sand. After we got to the party and congratulated our colleague the groom, we requested to meet the bride. Lo and behold, the bride was one of those girls we had seen on our journey who was playing in sand with her peers! I stared at my colleague in utter disbelief. This man was more than 4 times the age of his bride; he was a political representative of his community. Why would he want to marry a 9 year old girl as his third wife? He replied: “In my culture, girls here must marry before the age of 15”.
This is a common incidence in my country. According to UNICEF, 39000 girls marry every day, Nigeria ranks third highest globally in absolute number of child brides and has the 11th highest prevalence rate of child marriage in the world. Therefore, the event shouldn’t have come as a surprise to me. What took me aback was that a well educated and respected colleague of mine who should have been better guided indulged in the despicable act of child marriage. Did my so-called learned colleague/child molester not know that early and forced marriage is a human rights violation and harmful practice? I think he did. Many of the well-to-do and educated people who engage in child marriages do so because they are protected by the laws (or lack of it) and their culture.
Etymologically, the term “child” emanates from the Latin word “infans” which connotes “the one who does not speak” and indeed this is the notion of many cultures. As a traditional African child, you do not have a voice. You are to eat in silence, avoid direct gazes, take and obey instructions, never raise your voice and accept punishment with dignity. When you are born a girl child, it gets worse. You are “property” to be sold, bought and used. Culturally, these are the unfortunate patriarchal fundamentals belying child marriages.
There are many other factors such as poverty and ignorance that belie child marriages. Arguably, the most important of them all is insufficient and inadequately implemented laws protecting the girl child. As the popular saying goes – where there is no law, there is no sin. The Nigerian Constitution does not establish a minimum age to marry. The Child Rights Act was passed in 2003 and sets the age of marriage at 18 years-old. However, only 23 states of the 36 states in Nigeria have commenced steps to implement the minimum age of marriage.
Child marriages should be completely outlawed in Nigeria. Offenders should have grievous punishments and should be thoroughly prosecuted. Child marriages endanger women and girls, preventing them from attaining their potential for optimal health, education, equality and a life free from violence and exploitation. Child marriage perpetuates poverty, inequality and insecurity and is an obstacle to global development. Girl brides are often pressured into female genital mutilations and repeated pregnancies. Many die as a result of maternal complications and newborns often suffer many health problems.
Target 5.3 of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) is to “eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilations” by 2030. Ending child marriages will help Nigeria achieve 8 of the SDGs with resultant positive effects on the country’s own development. Ending Child marriages cuts short the cycles of poverty, poor health, illiteracy, and violence it perpetuates and which have negative impacts on overall development, prosperity, and stability.
While many debate the choice of approaches to ending child marriage in Nigeria, I strongly propose that in view of the country’s limited resources, we prioritize interventions regarding legislatures on child marriage. The government needs to draft and implement laws that bar child marriages in all states of the country. Offenders must be rapidly and rigorously prosecuted so that it can serve as deterrent to others who commit such inhumane crimes with impunity. This will serve both as an interim and long term measure against child marriages while other measures are being put to place.
The community comprising of you and I have to call our government to action. We need stronger advocacy for the rights of the girl child. Everyone has to arise and lend their voices for “the one who does not speak” and help her to speak out loud. Her future is our collective responsibility.
Photo credit – Bing.com
