Child marriage, refers to the phenomenon that minor men and women get married. Although it is unreasonable for a child to marry in most people's opinion, it still exists in many countries. Child marriage is easily causing domestic violence and sexual abuse. At the same time, child marriage can easily lead to underage dropouts and poverty. Although UNICEF and anti-child-marriage organizations are actively calling for anti-child marriage around the world. However, child marriage still remains a ubiquitous issue in today's society.
When we see the data from World Policy Analysis Center, we can found that Child marriage is still legal in some countries.
From the above map, we can find that there are still many countries allow their child marry when they still a child. Some Middle Eastern countries allows their child under 14 to marry.
When we looks first map, although we can found that some countries allow child marriage, but the number is still less. However, when we look at the second map, we can know that allowing child marriage is so common in many countries under the parental consent, even in some developed countries, such as America, Canada and Japan. In fact, “parental permission” is actually "parental coercion" in many cases. Because the law does not support the investigation of child’s personal will, even if the child strongly shows resistance to their marriages, Courts usually can not interfere either. That make some tragedy. Some men raped young girls, but they persuade their parents to marry their daughter to them, so that they can avoid legal sanction.
After we know some legal of child marriage, so what is the real condition of child marriage.
Across the globe, levels of child marriage are highest in sub-Saharan Africa, where around 4 in 10 young women were married before age 18; about one in eight were married or in union before age 15. Lower levels of child marriage are in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, however, still 1 in 10 young women were before age 18 and one in hundred were married or in union before age 15.
Marriage before the age of 18 is a fundamental violation of human rights, but is all too common. It let the child's life be full of risk. According to the survey of UNICEF, there are 7main reasons make the child marriage still exist.
Although we can easily know the reasons cause child marriage, but these problem are not so easy to eliminate and deal with. Child marriage still compromises a child’s development. It can lead to social isolation, early pregnancy, interruption of schooling and career, domestic violence. And it even may cause death.
Many people and organizations are trying to promote the anti-child marriage. Last year, Coby Persin, a well-known American blogger, conducted a social experiment at Times Square in New York City, deliberately arranging a group of elders and little girls to take wedding photos and observe passersby's reactions. In this regard, Coby Persin wants to draw the attention of American people to child marriage and concerns about this topic.
Another organization in Norway planed a wedding between a 12 year girl and a 37 year old man to attract people’s attention to child marriage.
However,the anti-child marriage in the world still have a long way to run.