Sylvana Rincon

Word count: 752

Citation

Bucher, Amy. “Child Brides Stolen Lives.” PBS, 2007, www.cultureunplugged.com/documentary/watch-online/play/52759/Child-Brides-Stolen-Lives.

Summary

The documentary is about real girls that have gotten married as a child. The first case was in Rajasthan, India where 70% of the girls become brides before turning 18. Family struggle to survive with less than $1. Girls in these poor countries are seen as burden, as they have to pay a price or gifts to the husband; for the brides’ families the earlier the girl is married the faster they get relieve. The first girl interviewed was only 7 years old when she was married out, she was kept in their parents’ house until she reaches puberty. In India these marriages are illegal, however communities hold wedding in the middle of the night to avoid the law. For the second case the brides were even younger, about three to four years old. These girls live will soon be turned to years of household labor, also physically abused by their in-laws. The case of another girl was showed where her in-laws and husband beat her with wooden sticks, shoes, because for them she was not pretty; she even lost her child because of how badly she was beaten by them. A government social worker was sent to break child wedding. There were 21 children getting married, she tried to stop the wedding and three nights after she was assaulted in her own house, she was hit with a machete until she was almost dead.

Then, they arrived at Niame, Niger where more than three quarter of girls marry before they are 18 years old, as early as 9 years old. Same as in India girls’ fathers decided who and when to marry. In this community girls are married at an early age because the parents are afraid of the girl getting pregnant before getting married. Niger has one of the highest fertility rates Because of early marriage woman have more kids leading to a skyrocket population. Additionally, Niger has one of the highest maternal mortality rates.

Reflection

I found this documentary very compelling; it shows real cases of girls that have suffer physically and mentally because of early marriages. This documentary shows how girls are being married even before they hit puberty. They are being forced into sex and then getting pregnant. It is very shocking to see that their lives are put in jeopardy because of poverty or simply traditions. I do not think this documentary is being Bias because it is just showing the cruel reality of many girls in third world countries.

Quote

“…girls from all over the world who could grow up into productive citizens, but in places where child marriage prevails, they are treated instead like commodities, bought and sold into marriages that they don’t choose and are not ready for”

Citation

“Child Marriage.” UNICEF DATA, 7 Oct. 2020, data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/child-marriage/.

Summary

Child marriages many times stops girls from developing, by limiting them to education, social interaction and by getting pregnant. Not only girls, but boy that are married as child could experience economics pressure and reduce the opportunity for higher education. Boys are also forced into responsibilities that they are certainly not prepared for. International Conventions such as Convention on Consent to Marriage and Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages among others, address child marriage through international agreements. Sub-Saharan, Africa has the highest child marriage rate before 18 years old at 35%. The child marriage rate is decreasing, in South Asia the rates dropped from 50% to below 30%. Despite the effort the total number of girls married annually is significantly high. If the process does not speed up, there will be about 120 million girls will marry before turning 18 by 2030.

Reflection

This source was helpful to get an idea of the rates of girls married under 18 around the world. This data base helps me understand that there has to be more work implemented in this matter to save the life of those millions of girls that can be married out before turning 18.  We can see that the rates have decreased thought the years, but it needs to decrease at a faster pace.

Quote

“Still, the total number of girls married in childhood stands at 12 million per year, and progress must be significantly accelerated in order to end the practice by 2030 – the target set out in the Sustainable Development Goals. Without further acceleration, more than 120 million additional girls will marry before their 18th birthday by 2030”.