Child marriage is one of the most reprehensible crimes against human rights. It not only has physical and psychological consequences on the child involved but also has severe effects on the society as a whole. According to a report by the UNICEF, consequences of child marriage include "separation from family and friends, lack of freedom to interact with peers and participate in community activities and decreased opportunities for education." (Unite for children,UNICEF, 2006).
In addition to these, child marriages can also have fatal consequences not only for the child bride but also for her husband. Due to lack of education, these girls are exposed to severe health risks because of unprotected sex and premature pregnancies. Putting their children in so much danger, mostly for economic reasons, is not only unethical but also extremely selfish and cruel. Whatever justifications they give for this action is not enough to compensate for the psychological ordeal these young kids face while growing up. What is worse is the fact that this passes on from generation to generation inflicting the same fate on the children.
On a separate note, government and laws are not the only way to eradicate an issue like that. In addition to the two, a society needs to bring these stories into light and spread awareness among both the educated and the deprived about the consequences of their actions. This will tackle the problem from its roots and is always a better option as compared to passing laws that people tend to break, especially in countries with poor law enforcement like Ethiopia.
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