Child marriages are still a tradition in Ethiopia. Young brides, even below 10 years of age, are married off to adolescent boys and thus the cycle of ignorance, poverty, health hazards continue. Even in the modern globalised world there are remote corners where people are uneducated and are not equipped with even a little education and knowledge to break a tradition which brings miseries to scores of little girls in their land.
Ninety percent of Ethiopian population lives in far flung remote areas where Ethiopian Orthodox Church has a great influence over the community. Though the church approves 18 years as age of marriage, the local priests conduct these marriages as tradition dictates. The age old logic being that of marrying girls while they are virgins and do not have any risk of being raped. So, instead of schools, brides and grooms enter churches to take vows that they are not even aware of. Early marriages lead to early motherhood. In remote Amhara region of Ethiopia, girls as young as 10 or 12 become pregnant. There are no medical facilities to help these children. They suffer from all kinds of post pregnancy complications. Most children born to these young girls are stillborn. Many girls don’t even survive their first pregnancy. Some who do survive lack post-pregnancy care and they don’t get proper nutrition either. Thus ill-health gets carried on to next generation. The children of these young mothers in turn suffer from poor growth and mal-nutrition. Thus tales of ignorance and suffering continue.
The government is trying to stamp out child marriages and has increased penalty for those arranging such marriages. UK-based charity, Safe Hands for Young Mothers, has been working with UN Population Fund to create awareness. But it is difficult to fight a tradition that gets blessings from local church. The tradition becomes a religious belief. Only proper education, which includes sex and health education, can help fight such battles.
It is a modern reality. With much advances in modern communication, there is total lack of communication in regions such as Ethiopia. Their stark naked reality will continue to stare at us through heart rending tales and photo essays. Till they are taken along, humanity will never be able to take total pride in its achievements.
Source: timesonline
Comments
Child marriages happen out of ignorance in third world countries. But teen pregnancies and high-school mothers are a very common phenomenon in the US. Can we say that education is actually spurring this?
I am not sure whether it is education which is spurring teen pregnancies and motherhood. But I feel the liberal culture and ill-parenting which lead to such problems.
Child marriages in the Third World are largely due to tradition, while teenage pregnancy and teenage motherhood in the West, such as in the US, are largely due to a liberal environment. Same effect, extremely different cause.
yes, it is sad that young girls in both countries get trapped into same cycle of teenage pregnancy and motherhood.
But what sets Third world apart is poverty, malnutrition, superstitions, lack of education, poor or almost no health infrastructure.
And it is intriguing that First World teenagers inspite of having everything in place get themselves trapped.
How come the world can’t still eradicate this social wart?
they dont understand child marriage are not healty..
This is very unique...