One would never imagine that child marriage may still be part of the dominant talks that South Africans are baffled with. Especially considering the efforts which went into the construction of “The Bill of Rights” which ensures that every citizen has full rights and freedom of choice. On this page we find out the reasons why child marriage is still prevalent in South Africa of today.
- Social – child marriage robs a child of a much-desired childhood time. There is a lot that a child can learn before they commit to adult life of leaving with a partner, and raising kids.
- Economic – almost every marriage of today (including child marriage) should have a sustainable way of getting money to survive. In child marriage, underage boys and girls are forced to look for employment to feed themselves and the kids.
- Education – child marriage may be one of the greatest hindrances to success in the areas of education and career progress.
- Health: Child marriage also presents many such as: increased risk for sexually transmitted diseases, cervical cancer, malaria, death during childbirth, and obstetric fistulas.
What is Child Marriage?
What is referred to as child marriage may vary from country to country. For example, in India, child marriage is a marriage where one of the parties is under the age of 21. While in South Africa, child marriage is regarded as a marriage where one of the parties is under the age of 18 years.
The prevalence of Child Marriage in South Africa
The number of child marriages in South Africa is concerning. The concerns emerge from the unfavorable results of getting married so young. Not mentioning getting a divorce before one reaches the age of 19. According to Stats SA, more than 91,000 girls in South Africa between the ages of 12 and 17 are either still in child marriage, or already divorces. In terms of the areas where child marriage is widespread, KwaZulu-Natal tops the charts as the province with the highest number of child brides: 25,205, followed by Gauteng: 15,929.
Reasons why Child Marriage is still prevalent in South Africa
There are a number of factors that encourage child marriage to occur:
- Poverty – In poverty-stricken areas child marriage may be seen as an opportunity to escape poverty. Often, financially struggling under-age girls may find it easy to get married to older men who seem to be stable financially.
- Traditional Practices – Certain cultural practices, such as Ukuthwala, and related ones, make it somewhat acceptable for older men to force underage girls into marriage.
- Religious Practices and Beliefs – in order to avoid the “sin” of engaging in premarital sex, underage boys and girls may be encouraged to get married.