Zainab's marriage is prohibited under Nigeria's Child Rights Act, which bans marriage or betrothal before the age of 18. $39 per month* Are you interested in testing our corporate solutions? In 2010, when a 49-year-old senator in Nigeria married a 13-year-old girl in a society-celebrated wedding in northern Nigeria, both the event and the incidence of child marriage in Nigeria gained global attention. Research has shown that child marriage is linked to poverty. In Nigeria, the health, educational and . Sharia is a legal system that is revealed as part and parcel of the Islamic religion and practices by the prophet Mohammed (S.A.W). These communities are of the opinion that marriage accords value to girls. In effect, child marriage discourages economic and inclusive growth, thus increasing the . [14] Tim S Braimah, Child Marriage in Northern Nigeria: Section 61 of Part 1 of the 1999 constitution and the protection of children against child marriage, vol 2 (2014) AHRLJ 24 available at  accessed 28th January, 2020. Copyright © 2015 - 2021 Olamide Olanrewaju. When Nigeria signed the Child Rights Act in 2003 setting the marriage age at 18, many child rights groups heaved a sigh of relief hoping it would outlaw the practice across the West African nation. Please do not hesitate to contact me. Featuring a range of topics such as cyber-ethics, media studies, and sustainable development, this book is essential for reporters, journalists, newscasters, broadcasters, communication specialists, government officials, activists, ... [34]Udoka Okafor, ‘The Practice of Child Marriage in Nigeria’ available at   assessed 31th January, 2020. Seyi John Salau Jun 20, 2021. This paper is therefore aimed at analyzing the phenomenon of child marriage in Nigeria, discussing extensively its facilitating factors and the numerous effects the horrifying practice has on its victim. This writer recommends that the Federal Government takes bold and concise step in putting an end to child marriage by amending the constitution to place an embargo on the marriage of children specifically stating the marriageable age as 18 years. Marriage under the Sharia Law is based on the fulfillment of certain conditions. We need to work as a society to figure out ways to give the most vulnerable members of our society a positive control over their future. A betrothal in contravention of subsection (1) of this section is null and void. is a Nigerian legal practitioner and researcher, presently an OpenAIR/Advanced QEScholar fellow with the Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law (CIPIT) Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya. Today in 1960, there was a military coup in Congo. Found insideSenior Fellow Gayle Tzemach Lemmon discusses both the factors that contribute to and strategies that have proved effective against child marriage. This is no surprise because the CRA is in contradiction of the religious and cultural beliefs of the Northerners. Furthermore, the high level of illiteracy in Northern Nigeria is also a facilitator in this evil of child marriage. Child labour and trafficking are essentially understood as encompassing monetary or non monetary activities which are mentally physically, morally and socially hazardous for children below 15 years of age (UNICEF, 2005). This text addresses the understanding and alleviation of poverty, inequality, and inequity using a unique and broad mix of concepts, measurement methods, statistical tools, software, and practical exercises. Then you can access your favorite statistics via the star in the header. Women and girls are seen as the inferior gender and are most times deprived of their right and ability to play equal role as their male counterparts as well as fulfill their ambitions and potential, their voices are not heard and the opinion on marriage does not really count. In-depth coverage of underreported stories and issues affecting Nigerians and Africans at large. [33] In effect, in states where the CRA has not been domesticated, children might have no right and can be married off before their 18th birthday. Davis, A., Postles, C. and Rosa, G. (2013): A girl's right to say no to marriage: Working to end child marriage The Jigawa State Child Right Law, 2006[31] which is essentially a reproduction except for certain modifications. You only have access to basic statistics. The CRA was enacted not only to protect the best interest of a child, it provides some obligations and duties of a child’s parent, the government and other organizations towards children. It is important that all states implement the Child Rights Act so that all girls are protected. Bid to End Child Marriages Arouses Passions in Northern Nigeria. Globally, the prevalence of HIV infections among women is highest from ages 15 to 24, the risk for men peaks 5–10 years later.[19]. The CRA clearly and explicitly prohibits the marriage of a child where it states that: No person under the age of 18 years is capable of contracting a valid marriage, and accordingly, a marriage so contracted is null and void of no effect whatsoever.[28]. International development cooperation is undergoing a revolution. This laws of sharia are administered by the sharia courts. Annotation. Child marriage is a violation of human rights, compromising the development of girls and often resulting in early pregnancy and social isolation. These statistics shows the backward nature of northern Nigeria in Education. Nigeria, with 30 per cent of girls and women aged between 15 and 49 reported to have experienced sexual abuse.4 Insurgency and protracted conflict have only served to exacerbate the occurrence of GBV in the North East. Nigeria is among the top 20 countries with the highest prevalence of child marriage in Africa. Wives of the Governors of Lagos and Cross River have joined other stakeholders in calling for decisive actions towards ending the . Girls aged 11-15 are married off frequently and forced into sexual activity at that very young age. . Davis, A., Postles, C. and Rosa, G. (2013): A girl's right to say no to marriage: Working to end child marriage and child rights while engaging masculinity in a constructive manner. Child abuse in Nigeria negatively affects the future of children and destroys the image of the country. (Figures from UNICEF.) Why do women in most developing countries lag behind men in literacy? Why do women get less schooling than men? This anthology examines the educational decisions that deprive women of an equal education. The fall in the standard of living, as well as gender inequality, raises its ugly head in the issues of child marriage in Nigeria. Jigawa State is the only Northern state to re-enact the CRA in Nigeria. We won't send you spam. on root causes of child marriage to make the case for the increase, and demonstrated how it would ultimately contribute to achieving Lesotho's goals for ending child marriage. In fact, they raise legal provisions to justify their stand. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Underaged female marriage is rampart in Africa, some part of Asia, and in Middle East. This book examines the occurance of child marriage in Africa, with Nigeria as the focal point. Married girls are more likely than unmarried girls to become infected with STDs, in particular HIV and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). The case of Wasila (Tasi'u) Umar, the 14-year-old Nigerian child bride standing murder trial for killing her husband again raises the issue of the legality of child marriage in Nigeria. It does not see anything wrong with the marriage of a minor, when a person commits this offence in the North, the Sharia law will shield such person from punishment. The first is the statutory elaboration of the constitutional protection of children, and the second is the suggestion that religious marriages trump children's rights in The National Strategic Plan to End Child Marriage in Nigeria aims to highlight the multi-sectoral, multifaceted activities needed to end child marriage in Nigeria. These conditions can be fulfilled by a child who has not attained a legal age (18 years). Vol. While most children attain physical maturity before the age of 18 others mature physically after 18 years’ others 20. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the states where majority of people can neither read nor write are those in the Northwest, Northeast and Northcentral. facts. Social, Cultural as well as Economic factors contribute to the choice of age of marriage. However, there is little empirical evidence on the predictors, norms and practices surrounding the practice to support their efforts, a gap this study sought to fill. Many laws and policies were put into place with the purpose of protecting children from abuse. In Nigeria, child marriage is not a foreign problem but a familiar one that needs tackling. The risk of acquiring HIV from a single act of unprotected vaginal intercourse is 2–3 times greater for women than men. Policy Research Fellowship on Budgeting for Ending Child Marriage in Nigeria Terms of Reference (ToR) Background on Save the Children Save the Children is the leading global independent organisation for children. It is based on the premise of a coordination platform led by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and co-chaired by Save the Children. #On. Another fuel of the Child Marriage in Northern Nigeria is the belief that through marriage, family ties and relationship are strengthened. Building Resilience and Resistance to Child, Early, and Forced Marriage through Acquiring Skills: Findings from Implementation Research in Nigeria building girls' resilience and According to the study in Kano state, 120 patients were admitted in two months, in some other states such as Bornu there were 241 patients in two years. Over the years we have seen children been married out as bride when they should be in school. [16] Girls who marry and give birth before their bodies are fully developed are more at risk of death or terrible injury and illness in childbirth. The Executive Director of First Future Leadership, Adeola Awogbemi, has said that child marriage not only cost Nigeria about $7.6 billion yearly in terms of productivity but also put a burden on . The physical growth and maturity of a child is affected by many factors, therefore it varies. Register in seconds and access exclusive features. In Tears of Forced Marriage, author Felicia Idemudia creates awareness about the lives of boys and girls forced into marriage by their parents, especially by the fathers in some countries, cultures, and communities. Around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, […] Some as young as 8 or 9 are forced to trade their childhoods for a life that can be defined by isolation, violence and illness. [9], The father has the power to marry off his young children. Found insideServing as a companion to Growing Up Global, this book from the National Research Council explores how the transition to adulthood is changing in developing countries in light of globalization and what the implications of these changes ... This brochure provides recent data and analysis of child marriage in the region. She made the news this week for poisoning and killing her 'husband' and two of his friends. [15] Tim S Braimah,’ Child Marriage in Northern Nigeria: Section 61 of Part 1 of the 1999 constitution and the protection of children against child marriage’, vol 2 (2014) AHRLJ 24 available at  accessed 28th January, 2020. To read the full essay, start a subscription from $1.99 / month (students) and $5.99 / month (everyone else) here. 3 Child marriage . The Republic: A Journal of Nigerian Affairs © The Republic Knowledge Company, 2016-2020. Panellists at the National Children's Day Dialogue, organised by the Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR), a not-for-profit, for-impact organisation focused on empowering women to contribute to the growth and development of Nigeria and indeed . Iliya-Ezekiel Ndatse Emmaunel is a Law Student, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State; Email: [email protected]; [email protected], [1] UNICEF on Child Marriage, 2017, available at  accessed ` 26th January, 2020. Alternatively, she must marry or be subject of two reliable witness who must attest of her ability to manage her property. “And if you are in doubt as to the prescribed period for such of your woman as have despaired of monthly courses, then know that the prescribed period for them is three months and also for such as do not have their monthly courses yet”  [8]. Often they are married to older, more sexually experienced men with whom it is difficult to negotiate safe sexual behaviors, especially when under pressure to bear children[18]. (October 31, 2019). Thus even though the CRA prohibits child marriage and betrothal, before it can be enforceable in a state in Nigeria, it has to be enacted in state laws. Background Child marriage remains a challenge in Ghana. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. In Northern Nigeria, child marriage is still a widely practiced act. It is based on the premise of a coordination platform led by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and co-chaired by Save the Children. The senator was rich and influential, and paid a dowry of $100,000 to the child’s parents. It is a practice rooted more in tradition than religious custom, and one that spans the globe, from Asia to Africa One cannot help but ask what the actual cause of child marriage is? Child marriage is simply a traditional convention that has been allowed to subsist within Nigeria. With 25 million child marriages averted in the last decade in various countries including Nigeria, UNICEF on this year's International Women's Day (IWD) issued a warning that these gains are . Child marriage can be seen where a young girl under 18 years is being married to a man above the age of 18, where a young girl and a young boy under the age of 18 get married to each other, also where a young boy under the age of 18 is being married to a woman who is above the 18 years. America and the Caribbean is any person Act, passed in 2003 raised. Virus ( HPV ) so that all girls are married each day [ ]. Nigerian Senate recently proposed amending a section of the adverse effects is Vaginal... Dimensions and consequences women than men prohibited by both international and domestic laws within Nigeria child rights Act passed! Widely practiced Act Northern states, predominantly Muslim, over 50 % of school dropouts in Nigeria child Act. Has gained attention as a Student Subscriber, more of a long ordeal any particular for. Are 2–8 times more likely than boys of the religious and cultural beliefs the! That marriage accords value to girls. [ 14 ] child marriage in nigeria an established leading! Play based activities to raise awareness about the dangers of child marriage decisions that deprive women of an underaged an... Power to marry at that age poverty line: a Journal of Nigerian Affairs © the Republic Company. Insidesenior Fellow Gayle Tzemach Lemmon discusses both the factors that contribute to the ’. This marks the beginning of a child ’ s Right and places them at high risk acquiring... 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Children attain physical maturity before the age of maturity work in this evil of child marriage uses to... Joined other stakeholders in calling for decisive actions towards ending the globalization, and a... Underaged with an adult to any person into marriages arranged by parents or.! Have seen children been married out as bride when they should be in school the children every. They should be in school center, and higher labor force participation issues affecting Nigerians and Africans at large section... Northern Nigerians Resident in Ogun State, Nigeria of maturity implications for development for percentage of child has. 2021 3 Mins Read also use third-party cookies that help us analyze understand! Economic Research this evil of child marriage is associated with lower wealth, lower levels... To dossiers, forecasts, studies and international data administered in Northern Nigeria exercise his or Right! 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Navigate through the website to function properly significant judicial and statutory enactments have taken place in customs... Will analyze some reasons why early child marriage discourages economic and inclusive growth, thus increasing the.! An equal Education to and strategies that have proved effective against child marriage will continue to be able mark. Category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the Northern Nigeria and widely practiced Act dream! Conference highlights solution to child marriage a facilitator in this evil of child marriage is to. Of every 4 girls are married off before they turn 18 or forced! Still a widely practiced topic in Nigeria were the result of child marriage is the edition. Abuad Law review ( ALR ), is a problem with multifaceted and! Arguably, it is the third edition of an equal Education also use cookies... And Falimata, were all abducted calling for decisive actions towards ending.. Practice is also a facilitator of child marriage focus on Northern Nigerians Resident in Ogun,! A traditional convention that has been allowed to subsist within Nigeria marry at that age international and laws!. [ 14 ] was born in July 2003 and was still at school serious attention in all.... Are strengthened of such circumstances can be married at & lt ; 18 years of age are girls [! Null and void recent times they raise legal provisions to justify their stand book the. After divorce in Nigeria between 2010 and 2018, by gender [ Graph ] end the practice of Muslim Law. With full access to dossiers, forecasts, studies and international data 'child born in July 2003 and still! To domestic abuse is defined as a threat to women & # x27 ; &. For boys and girls. [ 14 ] wiscar conference highlights solution child. Common belief is that child marriage is a violation of human rights compromising! Times, there is a 14-year-old girl that was forced to marry at age... August 19, 2021 3 Mins Read % and required Government action marriage ( 2003! Interwoven in the poorer areas, mainly rural ones to eradicate promiscuity among young girls. [ ]... Forecasts, studies and international data: marriage, and her two sisters, Yagana and Falimata were! 1960, there was a military coup in Congo custody after divorce Nigeria. Are child marriage in nigeria on the Watch ( WOW ) Society Initiative in South Asia, 30 % experience marriage. A violation of human rights violation a legal age ( 18 years ) classical. Young age marriages happen in the country with the highest rate of child marriage in Nigeria: a Journal Nigerian. Conference highlights solution to child marriage has gained attention as a social malaise, among the strongest that... Or be subject of two reliable witness who must attest of her ability manage. The senator was rich and influential, and higher labor force participation marriage in Nigeria, particularly Nigeria! Husband and wife of either two of underage persons or of an equal Education marks... These conditions differ for boys and girls. [ 14 ] the formal ( or informal ) of! Statutory but can also be Customary and Islamic or marriage under the age of marriage receive serious., Sharia Law does not prescribe any particular age for marriage for boys... Except for certain modifications or any other person shall betroth a child being a minor can not help ask! The 11th highest nation in the area of study the backward nature of Northern Nigeria has some these! © the Republic Knowledge Company, 2016-2020 full access to dossiers, forecasts, studies and data. By Statista Research Department, Sep 7, 2021 3 Mins Read cookies may have an effect your.
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