Under-age marriage of the female child is a practice in certain parts of the world, recognised (accepted) by some religions, traditions, cultures, or laws. It entails the giving out of an underaged child or minor by her parents with or without her consent into marriage.
Although there are reported cases of underaged male child matrimony, this text encompasses the travails of the female gender and the negative impact on society. Female child underage marriage has no morally justifiable reason in today's civilized world. The analysis is a non-religious, non-biased, or non-political point of view.
Let me ask; How can a child raise a child? Is it feasible? A child who's yet to understand certain features of life can't play the role of a mother. It's not an argument, it's a fact! These practices are rampant in environments where illiteracy and poverty abounds, where many believes the destiny of the girl child ends in the kitchen. If you know the importance of the girl child education, you'll strictly condemn such practices.
As early as 8-12yrs, some are giving out in marriage. Others have been betrothed from birth to their future husbands either as gifts, payment for unfulfilled previous debt, fulfillment of promise, political favour or future agreement. A school of thought from one of these zones said; "it is better to give them out early in marriage than for them to become prostitutes" to buttress this practice.
Can you imagine the one directional myopic philosophy? How can a well trained child become a prostitute? Does it make any sense? Those who invested on their daughters via education are the parents of female senators, presidents, lawyers, engineers, doctors, lecturers, and other professionals society can be proud of today. But you, you trade the destiny of your women by subjecting them to forceful marriage at such tender age range.
You deny them their Godgiven/rightful place in society. Your priority is to make them your servants/kitchen slaves forever(especially in areas where this is practiced alongside polygamy). Men and women have equal rights. If a man is entitled to have quality education, a woman is also entitled to same opportunity in full. Gender biasness has relegated women to the bottom zones in lands where people claim to know God. What about the destiny of the children giving birth to by these pre-mature mothers? If you observe the attitude/behaviour/personal development skills of kids in such settings, they are not doing better than their counter parts from other regions where such practices are not accepted.
A child raised by a mother will excel better than a child raised by a child. You don't breed children for breeding purpose only. You breed children to contribute to society and not to become liabilities/problem to the economy. The greatest investment any man(father) can ever make is to invest on his child's education.
Education is a tool for sustainable development. Any land, religion, belief, culture, or people that discourages it's youth from acquiring education has no future. It is an effective instrument for gender equality.
Underage marriage is an abuse to children. It is a means of granting legal approval to molest/abuse children irrespective of parental consent. It must be stopped!
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