/CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION Child marriage is defined as a formal marriage or informal union entered into by an individual before reaching the age of 18. While child marriage is observed for both boys and girls, the overwhelming majority of those affected by the practice are girls, most of whom are in poor socioeconomic situations. It is related to child betrothal and teenage pregnancy. In ma ny cases, only one marriage-partner is a child, usually the female, due to importance placed upon female virginity. Child marriages are also driven by poverty, bride price, dowry, cultural traditions, laws that allow child marriages,

religious and social pressures, regional customs, fear of remaining unmarried, illiteracy, and perceived inability of women to work for money.

child marriages were common throughout human history. today, child marriages are still fairly widespread in some developing areas of the world, such as parts of africa, south asia, southeast and east asia, west asia, latin america, and oceania. the incidence rates of child marriage have been falling in most parts of the world. the five nations with the highest observed rates of child marriages in the world, below the age of 18, are niger, chad, mali, bangladesh and guinea. the top three nations with greater than 20% rates of child marriages below the age of 15 are niger, bangladesh and guinea.

as many as 1 in 3 girls in developing areas of the world are married before reaching the age of 18, and an estimated 1 in 9 girls in developing countries are married by age 15. one of the most commons causes of death for girls aged 15 to /CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION Cmarriage is defined as a formal marriage or informal union entered into by an individual before reaching the age of 18. While child marriage isobserved for both boys and girls, the overwhelming majority of those affected by the practice are girls, most of whom are in poor socioeconomic situations. It is related to child betrothal and teenage pregnancy. In many cases, only one marriage-partner is a child, usually the female, due to importance placed upon female virginity. Child marriages are also driven poverty, bride price, dowry, cultural traditions, laws that allow child marriages, religious and social pressures, regional customs, fear of remaining unmarried, illiteracy, and perceived inability of women to work for money.

child marriages were common throughout human history. today, child marriages are still fairly widespread in some developing areas of the world, such as parts of africa, south asia, southeast and east asia, west asia, latin america, and oceania. the incidence rates of child marriage have been falling in most parts of the world. the five nations with the highest observed rates of child marriages in the world, below the age of 18, are niger, chad, mali, bangladesh and guinea. the top three nations with greater than 20% rates of child marriages below the age of 15 are niger, bangladesh and guinea.

19 in developing countries was pregnancy and child birth. to protect vulnerable children from exploitation, various age of consent and marriageable age laws have been made.