UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said that child marriages are declining but at a rate that wouldn’t eliminate the practice for another 300 years, as the-+ series of crises, including climate change, the menace to reverse the trend.
On Tuesday, a report published by UNICEF estimated that 640 million teen girls and women today were married when they’re under 18. It added that an estimated 12 million teen girls and women are becoming brides each year.
Over the last 25 years, the rate at which such marriages occur has been slowing. In 1997, 25% of women aged 20 to 24 were married before 18. Fifteen years later, that date had dropped to 23%. By 2022, it was at 19%.
Our new report finds that girls around the world are facing a crisis:
Conflict, climate shocks and the pandemic are reversing hard-earned gains made towards the eliminatination of child marriage.https://t.co/fYzHaJGP7M
— UNICEF (@UNICEF) May 3, 2023
According to the United Nations report titled “Is an End to Child Marriage Within Reach?”, the decline was primarily driven by South Asian nations, particularly India.
The United Nations report said, “In the last decade alone, the girl’s likelihood of marrying in childhood was dropped by nearly half, from 46% to 26%,”.
“Of all child marriages averted in the last 25 years, 78% were in South Asia. This progress is driven mostly by India, although notable declines have been seen in Maldives, Bangladesh and Pakistan.”
The region remained home to the most significant number of child brides due to “age-old practices and the region’s large population”.
UNICEF of South Asia
According to UNICEF, South Asia was home to nearly 45% of the world’s child brides.
The report said the sub-Saharan region was also of “considerable concern”, with girls there now experiencing the massive risk of child marriage worldwide. It expects the numerous of child brides there to increase by 10% by 2030.
#EndingChildMarriage is only possible by addressing the root cause: gender inequality. #ComprehensiveSexualityEducation tackles gender inequality and transforms gender norms by supporting girls to make healthy decisions about their bodies, lives, and relationships.
— Girls Not Brides (@GirlsNotBrides) April 28, 2023
Reversing trends feared
UNICEF fears that the convergence of the covid pandemic, world conflicts and the growing effects of climate change could reverse the hard-won gains.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said, “Crises, the main of crises, engulfing the globe are crushing the dreams and hopes of vulnerable children, especially girls and women who should be students, not brides,”
“Health and economic issues, escalating armed tussle, and the ravaging effects of climate change forcing families to seek the false sense of refuge in child marriage.”
The UN report said that covid alone could be responsible for an additional ten million underage marriages between 2020 and 2030.
Russell said, “We have proven the progress to end child marriage is possible. It requires unwavering support for vulnerable girls and families,”
