A key part of the mission of Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA) is to “empower individuals in their communities and give them a voice in the world.” It’s impossible to achieve this mission—to truly empower all individuals—without addressing gender inequality and gender-based violence. That’s why IRUSA’s advocacy efforts include a call to end early and forced marriage (EFM), one of the most serious forms of oppression that women and girls experience today.
What is EFM?
As the name suggests, early marriage (also called child marriage) is any marriage where one person has not yet reached adulthood—for IRUSA and most countries, this means under the age of 18. Girls are usually the underage party in an early marriage; early marriage affects one in five girls worldwide as opposed to one in 30 boys, according to UNICEF data from 2023.
Forced marriage, on the other hand, involves anyone being married against their will, often under coercion, constraints, or threats of violence. Early marriage is a type of forced marriage, but a person of any age may be forced into a marriage.
Both types of marriages are clear violations of human rights, including the rights to freedom, autonomy, and self-determination. Early marriage, furthermore, robs children of their childhood. It is a violation of a child’s right to grow up in a safe, nurturing environment, free from abuse.
How prevalent is EFM?
According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), 12 million girls around the world are married before they reach age 18 each year. Though sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and parts of the Middle East have some of the highest rates of early and forced marriages in the world, girls and women anywhere, in any country, may be forced into a union. It happens here in the US, too, and it’s not always against the law. A study in 2021 estimated 300,000 minors were legally married between 2000-2018.
Recently, statistics about early marriage have been slightly encouraging: Though UNICEF estimates one in five girls are forced into early marriage, that proportion used to be one in four 10 years ago. UNICEF attributed most of this decline to a reduction in child marriages in India and also estimated that, thanks to global progress on the issue, some 68 million child marriages have been averted in the past 25 years.
Why does EFM happen?
There are a cluster of cultural and economic factors that contribute to EFM; it’s a complex issue that differs from region to region, country to country, and even within countries. Generally, however, poverty is a major contributor. When a family is living in desperate poverty, arranging a marriage for a young daughter can be a way to improve their financial situation. The groom’s family may pay a bride price in some cultures. Alternatively, the bride’s family may see the marriage as a way to reduce the number of mouths to feed, or as a way to ensure their daughter is provided for when they can’t afford to care for her and their community has few options for women to earn their own income.
Conflict is another big contributor to child marriage. Wars, crises, and other conflicts can push poor families further into poverty, increasing their desperation. Families may also see marriage as a way to protect an underage daughter from violence during chaotic times. In addition, during conflicts, families may be driven from their homes or separated, leaving young girls without parents or guardians to protect them from trafficking, abuse, and forced marriage. Child marriage is also sometimes leveraged as a weapon of war.
Underpinning all these factors and situations is one ultimate cause of EFM: gender equality. When girls and women are viewed as inferior to boys and men, they are valued less. Their families and communities may see them as burdens, objects, or pieces of property who exist to serve men, rather than individuals deserving the same chances and opportunities.
What are the consequences of EFM?
Girls and women who are forced into marriage can suffer unspeakable harm. They are more vulnerable to sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, as well as social isolation. They are more likely to experience complications during pregnancy and childbirth as well as higher rates of maternal and infant mortality. Girls who marry young become pregnant at a younger age than those who marry as adults, and they tend to have more pregnancies over their lifetimes. In addition, early marriage often condemns girls to poverty, since it limits their opportunities for school and work.
What is being done to end EFM?
Governments and NGOs are working together to enact legislative reforms, raise awareness, and provide support services to end EFM. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 5 (Gender Equality) and Goal 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), include targets aimed at ending child marriage and all forms of violence against women and girls. However, there’s still much work to be done—UNICEF estimates that it would take 300 years to end child marriage if the current rate of decline persists.
For its part, IRUSA is a staunch advocate for the end of EFM, which is prevalent in many of the countries where it has worked, like Niger, Bangladesh, Chad, Mali, and Ethiopia. Based on its research and direct experience in the field, IRUSA believes that 18 should be the minimum age for marriage for both boys and girls. This ensures that young people can give their full, informed consent to the marriage, protects the rights of children and youth, and helps prevent child abuse. IRUSA also seeks to uphold the institution of marriage and promote healthy families by ensuring that marriages only take place between two adults who enter into the union freely. These circumstances provide the best chance for a happy, healthy family.
IRUSA understands that EFM is a complicated issue that is intertwined with poverty, cultural and religious traditions, conflict, and other factors. Its culturally sensitive humanitarian development assistance can help prevent EFM by empowering families to break the cycle of poverty. IRUSA also understands that empowering women and opening up economic opportunities to them can help combat EFM. It provides livelihood and skills training for women, support for female entrepreneurs, and other aid for women and women-led households.
Women’s rights are human rights.
Early and forced marriages are clear violations of human rights and impediments to gender equality and development around the world. They consign women and girls to lives of misery, abuse, and poverty. By advocating for gender justice and operating programs that prioritize women’s and girl’s well-being, IRUSA aims to create a more compassionate world where every girl can grow up free from violence and exploitation and realize her full potential. To read more about these efforts, see https://irusa.org/gender-justice/.