Gender inequality refers to discrimination based on sex or gender, in which one gender is consistently favored over the other.
Child marriage is a complicated issue that stems from gender inequality and the assumption that girls and women are less valuable than boys and men. Girls’ childhood experiences are being robbed, and their lives and health are being jeopardized, as a result of early marriages.
Factors Contributing to Early Marriage
Several factors lead to girls’ early marriage. Here are the factors that urge parents to send off their daughter in this kind of setup.
TRADITION & RELIGION
Parenting also depends on one culture and beliefs. Early marriages are permitted in some cultures because they feel it saves their daughter from sexual harassment and keeps away the family from stigma.
Some parents feel compelled to marry off their daughters as soon as possible to prevent them from being sexually active before marriage, which would be a disgrace to their family and community.
POVERTY
Many poor families send their daughters to marry off at a young age as a means of financial survival. The family’s responsibility for feeding, clothing, and paying for the child’s fees have been decreased by this marrying setup.
LACK OF EDUCATION
Families approve early child marriages due to a lack of education. Girls who attend school and achieve greater levels of education are less likely to marry young. One drawback is that some countries place a lower priority on girls’ education than on boys’ education.