The COVID-19 pandemic already seems endless and its impact will be long-term. One example of this is a statement made by the UN that warns school closures could lead to an additional 13 million child marriages over the next decade. We consulted several international gender experts to share their opinions regarding the long-term impact of this phenomenon. Read their responses below.
What are your comments regarding this statement and what is the connection between school closures and early marriages?
“My comments regarding the above statement is, yes, I agree that the COVID-19 pandemic is fueling child marriages as many children who are now out of regular school and at home have fallen prey to sexual advances and pregnancies. These vulnerable girls, particularly in poor families and rural areas, are forced into marriage. Customarily in Africa, a girl is forced to marry the man who impregnates her. It is considered a disgrace for a girl to fall pregnant and have a child out of wedlock so to “correct” this, society has the girl marry, and this way legitimizing her child and takes the stigma of shame off her parents and family. The connection between school closures and early marriages is that, while the schools are closed due to COVID-19, children are left idle, often unguided, and left to their own devices. This leaves them prey to mischief to fill up this idle time. In the same way, men prey on these children, be it within their household or outside. Unfortunately, this results in young girls being exposed to playful or malicious and dangerous behavior and sexual and elicit encounters that lead to unwanted pregnancies.”
“Most young girls do not go to school as a result of social norms and even when they do go to school, poverty and hunger may have resulted in them dropping out of school and being married off to reduce the food and financial burden on their household. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this situation with many girls married off for these reasons. School closure have resulted in many girls being married off to avoid early pregnancy, and those who do get pregnant are forced to marry the men/boys responsible. In the case of child-headed households or households where the adults are invalids, young girls are predisposed to early marriage to either be able take care of the sick person or sustain themselves and the family with the additional hardship posed by COVID-19.”
“Six months ago, no one could have predicted the volatility, ambiguity, and complexity that lay ahead for the global development community. Over the last six months, we have experienced the gendered impact of covid-19 pandemic on a vulnerable group – school-going girls. We recognize the disappropriate drop out of school by teenage girls due to increased pregnancies, sexual exploitation, and (forced or early) marriages. Alongside the sexual and reproductive health aspect aforementioned the socioeconomic aspects have also presented multiple layers of oppression, exclusion, and inequalities for the school going girls.”
“The impact of prolonged school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic has had a serious impact on efforts to end early marriages. We are talking about adolescent girls aged 10 to 19 years who in the first place are timid and have limited negotiation skills within the family sphere and may well be quarantined with an abuser. In cases where the parents arrange to marry off their daughter due to economic hardships, especially in rural areas, this girl will have nowhere to seek help due to the non-availability of the structure and protective environment that schools provide. Peer pressure to indulge in risky behavior will increase as these children will be confined to spaces that don’t meet their needs. Countries must intensify the teaching of Comprehensive Sexuality Education to enable children to navigate even during lockdowns.”
What could the long-term consequences of this phenomenon be?
“While limited access to education increases the likelihood of child, early and forced marriage (CEFM), conversely, CEFM also increases the likelihood of curtailing girls’ education. Curtailing a girl’s education significantly impairs her future prospects and well-being, limiting future employment opportunities and perpetuating a cycle of poverty. CEFM also increases girls’ vulnerability to other threats to their security and well-being, including exposure to sexual violence, intimate partner and domestic violence. Girls also face increased health risks as a result of CEFM, such as those associated with early pregnancy, including maternal mortality. Because girls’ bodies are not sufficiently developed for pregnancy and childbirth, they are much more likely to die from childbirth than women in their 20s (UNICEF 2008; UNFPA 2018). The World Health Organization (2018) has described the health risks of complications in pregnancy or childbirth due to early pregnancy constituting the leading cause of death for girls aged between 15 and 19. Girls may also become isolated as a result of CEFM, which can also adversely impact their mental health and well-being. The consequences do not just affect women and girls. Where girls have limited education and employment prospects, are trapped in poverty, and exposed to heightened security and health risks as a result of CEFM, their communities and societies also suffer. Increased insecurity and limited economic activity among a sizeable population has a direct and negative impact upon broader societal security and economic activity. Progress made towards addressing gender inequality over the last few years is also likely to be threatened as a result, alongside the associated effects on societal stability and security.”
“The impact of child marriages on girls is huge: they not only lose the ability to go back to school, they also run higher risks throughout life of facing gender-based violence, (SRHR) health risks and poverty. Let alone the dreams and aspirations these girls have to let go of. These are just a few examples of the negative consequences that girls experience after child marriages which limit their rights and opportunities in many ways.”
“Child marriage often spells the end of a girl’s education. Girls forced into marriage often become pregnant while still teenagers, increasing the risk of complications during pregnancy or childbirth. These complications are the leading cause of death among older adolescents. Such a phenomenon is closely related to school dropout. It denies girls the right to receive the education they need for their personal development, their preparation for adult life, and their ability to contribute to their family and community. To confront this, states should have legal frameworks aligned with international standards and eliminate all marriage age exceptions. Also, during the COVID-19 pandemic, they must continue to provide services, including education, child protection, comprehensive sexuality education, health, and social inclusion.”
“The long-term consequences of this phenomenon include unhappy and often violent marriages and cohabitation. The girl who is often dependent, disempowered, and ignorant will suffer abuse at the hands of her partner. In this relationship, she and her children may not enjoy fulfillment and happiness. The unfulfilled woman/girl and her family will likely suffer deprivation and live in poverty, both economic and psychologic. This will contribute to increased poverty and lowered quality of life in the family and society at large.”
“Because of the pandemic, unpaid household work burdens have increased, resulting in girls spending more time as caregivers instead of studying. Overall this has challenged progress and commitment towards gender equality, girl empowerment, and Sustainable Development Goals.”
What should the international community do in this regard?
“Access to education for girls is critical in reducing the prevalence of CEFM. Therefore, investment in education is of vital importance for girls’ current and future security and well-being. Efforts to remove the pre-existing barriers to girls’ education are essential, as well as new programs which support girls’ continued engagement with the school community during and following the pandemic. Programs aimed at reducing CEFM and increasing girls’ access to education have been negatively impacted by COVID-19, as a result of social distancing measures, the challenges of establishing online or remote learning and the diversion of attention and resources to efforts to address the immediate and direct threats of COVID-19 (UNFPA 2020).”
“My recommendation is to invest in long term solutions: Gender mainstreaming at the national level through policies and programs that take into account the experience, aspiration, needs, and problems of women and men to obtain the same access to participate in and get benefit from the development process; implementing a mandatory twelve-years-education to provide more chances to children to be able to continue their studies until High School in those countries where compulsory education is lower than 12 years and involve Civil Social Organizations to implement socialization programs targeting teenagers and adults.”
“To combat child marriages, the international community should in my opinion focus on two things: preventing child marriages and supporting those girls who have already been forced into child marriages. It is important to push for the establishment and implementation of policies and laws that prevent child marriages. Besides, it is of major importance to involve local community leaders, male and female, in initiatives that combat child marriages and provide services to girls who are already married. Awareness campaigns through child protection workers and community leaders could contribute to breaking through harmful gender norms. Girls should be supported to continue their education by taking away girls’ specific barriers to education (e.g. cultural constraints regarding traveling or limited internet access). But most important is to involve girls in all initiatives and measures taken: it is their needs and priorities that are at stake. Make sure girls have a voice in planning for the future, their future.”
“No organization should navigate this time of complexity for global development and advancement of girls without the best possible guidance, regular in-depth case studies, and contextualized advice from a community of gender and social inclusion senior experts, we have to doubled-down on our mission to inform and connect with local gender experts, girls affected, civil society actors, schools and governments at a time when insight, connection, and inspiration could not be more vital.”
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