The silent epidemic

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Jaw-dropping statistics reveal that even in this day and age, there exists a practice which allows 60% of young girls to get married off before they turn 18. This silent epidemic plagues third world countries where outdated traditions trump human rights intervention. Sadly, Bangladesh faces a crisis where generations of young girls forfeit their innocence before they can even finish their education, due to outside factors they cannot control. In rural areas of the country where poverty is rife and natural disasters are hardly an uncommon occurrence, many families are pressured to wed their young daughters in order to keep themselves afloat. Despite legislation sought by the government protecting the nation’s most vulnerable children, many young girls find themselves victim of child marriage. After they are wed, they are never to be heard of again. Child marriage is considered taboo in the States, albeit the practice itself is a much needed topic to discuss since it poses rampant violations on human rights. As defined by Unicef South Asia, child marriage is “a marriage of a girl or boy before the age of 18”. However, the scope of this issue goes beyond age. Child marriage is more than just a phrase, it holds stories of suffering, poverty, sexual abuse, and a government’s inability to handle domestic affairs. Bangladesh has caught the attention of multiple humanitarian organizations for its harrowing record of women becoming victims in child marriages. This is due to heavy financial burdens being placed on families, a desire to maintain a family's “honor,” and a false sense of bestowing security onto the bride and her future. ​Girls young enough to be enrolled in elementary school are forced to quickly mature so that their parents can prepare them for marriage. In spite of a child marriage act that requires a woman to be 18 or older in order to be wed in Bangladesh, many birth certificates are modified to evade this law. After the ceremony is conducted, these newlywed girls have little protection from their spouses and are particularly susceptible to exploitation due to their young age. Survivors of abuse are offered little help since they are generally uneducated and lack the resources to escape the endless cycle of torment and poverty. Grassroots movements in Bangladesh sparked an outcry against these observed practices, and many more citizens in Bangladesh are aware of the detrimental effects of child marriages. Although these activists are far from eradicating this depreciative tradition, many are taking steps in the right direction to protecting young girls. How can we perform our civil duty to maintain that young girls around the world are ensured their basic rights to education and an untroubled childhood? You can check out Girls Not Brides​ and explore their initiative to end child marriages throughout the world.They offer extensive information on every country that suffers from this practice, and how they intend on combating this issue on every level of society. The United Nations Population Funds​ also drives a similar message, and corroborates their donations into providing sexual health services in underdeveloped countries where its needed the most. They seek to lower maternal deaths and educate people on leading healthier, safer lives. Every little action counts, so make yours memorable and support a freer world.

Sources: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/bangladesh-child-marriage-law-minimum-age-zero-reduce-baby-marital-unicef-un-a7619051.html https://www.unfpa.org/funds-and-funding https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/08/28/the-saddest-bride-i-have-ever-seen-child-marrige-is-as-popular-as-ever-in-bangladesh/?utm_term=.9ee3b