According to UNICEF, any marriage conducted when one or either of the partners is below 18 years of age, violates the human rights of the minor. Unfortunately, a quarter of women in the age bracket of 20 – 24 years were once child brides. Even when a child lives with a man before formalizing the marriage and continues to care for that person in the hope that when she achieves the legal age they will get married, her rights are still contravened.

Why child marriage takes place?

There are many reasons why girls get married including perceived preservation her family’s honor, culture and religion. The other overwhelming reason for the practice is poverty. Girls Not Brides, a website dedicated to stopping this inhuman behavior, asserts, “Poverty is one of the main drivers of child marriage. Child brides are more likely to be poor and to remain poor.”

Economic impact of dowry

In a situation of acute poverty, marrying off a child leaves the family with one less mouth to feed, educate and clothe. In addition, marrying off a young child even to a man twice her age has monetary gain. According to Girls Not Brides, “Girls from poor families are nearly twice as likely to marry before 18 as girls from wealthier families.”

Poverty and early marriage

This assertion is supported by statistics whereby in Mali, Niger, Bangladesh and Mozambique, where more than 50% of girls become wives while underage, three quarters of the population lives below the poverty line. Lorraine Robinson, writing in One.org, presents the grim statistics that in developing countries such as the ones mentioned above, a third of girls get married before the age of 18.

Snared in poverty

Unfortunately, these girls end up in a poverty trap. Girls who are married early either do not go to schools or fail to complete elementary education. This denies them the opportunity to better their lives through advancement in education. In the homes they get married in, these young brides cannot improve the financial situations, not even those of their children.

An evil repeated

In addition, unless much sensitization is done among women who were once child brides, they will marry off their daughters in the same way. This is because they are trapped in poverty cycles and have to marry off their young daughters in the false hope that the bride price will life them above the poverty line. If women empowerment is to make an impact, child marriages must be stopped.

©EthLeen

The post The Role of Poverty in Early Marriages in India appeared first on Alaafia African Family Resource Center.

If you and your family find yourself in this situation there is a way to survive. Here are some poverty survival tips.

According to Joel John Roberts, a homeless services and housing executive, the first thing you need to consider is housing. His advice is finding one house and sharing it with family. This needs to be done until you are able to save enough money to afford your own home or a place to stay.

The next thing is food. Shopping in the supermarket is now considered a luxury. You must prepare yourself to stand in long lines at your local food bank for foods such as big blocks of cheddar cheese, dented vegetable and meat cans and expired bread from grocery stores.

When it comes to clothing, shopping in the malls is a thing of the past, at least for now. You will purchase your clothing at thrift stores such as Goodwill. Goodwill monitors the clothing that comes in and provides you with their best secondhand clothing. You will appreciate this on cold days and nights.

Going to eat is possible, but you must do it in a more humble way. This does not include a trip to McDonald’s. The choices you have in survival mode are a soup kitchen or your local faith group. This is not as bad as it sounds. This food is made with loving hands and can include things like fresh turkey, mashed potatoes and a vegetable. This will keep your stomach full and help you stay on your survival budget.

Next, you must sell your car. There is no room in your budget for gas, insurance or maintenance on your car. The public bus is much more affordable and you can think of it as having your own chauffeur for wherever you need to go.

All kids feel like they will just die if they do not have access to the Internet. They can use the Internet at your local library for free.

Being broke does not mean you can’t have fun. You can play in the park or take a stroll on the beach. It’s free.

As long as your family stays strong in faith and your love for each other you will survive this turbulent time.

©EthLeen

The post How You and Your Family Can Survive Poverty appeared first on Alaafia African Family Resource Center.