Child Brides and Marriage

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Recommended: Transition of children marriage in every part of the world

Child marriage is a global issue, transpiring in all parts of the world. Abducted from their home and family, young girls - below eighteen - are married off against their own will not only affecting the girls (mentally and physically) but the country as a whole. The organization, Too Young to Wed, says “… marrying them off at such a young age, they are putting the girls at risk and perpetuation the cycle of powerlessness and poverty.” Child marriages occurred throughout history and still an affair today due to society’s tolerance. And the number of young girls forced to wed increased and will continue to increase if society remains tolerant to this sensitive matter.
For the duration of time, society perceives men as superior, which infused to their cultural aspect in life. Society instilled male dominance to the minds of young children, imposing a role each sex must play. Girls are slaves of society, submitting to men as their master. And child brides are a perfect way to exhibit patriarchy society (Ludden). The young girl would be married off to take care of her own family, crippling them in attaining an education and getting a job. Girls were not meant to work (Radu). It is also said that the purpose of marrying off girls young was to keep their attractiveness. Roberta Radu says, “'Virginity is an "asset" that families customarily trade for substantial sums of money, so marriage is arranged as early as possible in order to preserve the girl's "desirability". Out of all of these inducements money was the biggest factor. Parents would arrange their daughter marriage due to poverty. The bride’s family would receive a dowry, basically trading girls for money. Again, girls were burdens and the parents used child marriage as a relief...

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...irls a bright future. Yes, change is hard but if we start changing societies view and continue help change little by little we can create a world where women are just as equal to men

Works Cited
Too Young To Wed. org. United Nations Population Fund. Web. 12 Feb 2014.
Ludden, Jennifer. “Can Child Marriages be Stopped?”. npr.com. 25 Nov 2013. Web. 10 Feb 2014
Radu, Roberta. “Romania’s Child Brides”. The Guardian.com. 29 Jun 2011. Web. 30 Jan 2014
Ramdani, Nabila. “‘After the wedding fear set in’: a Yemeni child bride's story.’” The Guardian. com.
30 Sep 2013. Web. 28 Jan 2014.
Sagade, Jaya. Child Marriage in India: Socio - Legal and Human Rights Dimensions. Oxford University
Press: 2005 edition. Print.

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