Nazia was five when she became engaged to an older man in Pakistan (“Pakistan’s Child Brides”). It still brings her to tears every time she thinks about how humiliating it was, to be assessed like property by her fiancé and the local court, when they evaluated if she was good enough to be his wife (“Pakistan’s Child Brides”). She was taken out of school a year before her wedding because it was too expensive, and she would have no use for schooling once married (“Pakistan’s Child Brides”). If her education was valued and necessary for her future, Nazia would not have been married so young. While the legal marriage age in Pakistan is sixteen for girls, UNICEF maintains that 70% of Pakistani girls marry before this age (“Pakistan’s Child Brides”). The impact of child marriage on girls in Pakistan today, an important human rights issue, is examined through extensive investigation. The Koran states that both men and women must consent to marriage (Blackwell), but because marriage in Pakistan is thought of as the joining of two families (“Islamic Republic”), the couple usually has no say on the matter (Blackwell). Engagements can last anywhere from months to years, as in Nazia’s case (“Islamic Republic”). Divorce is uncommon and much harder for women to obtain (“Islamic Republic”). There are numerous health, mental, and social repercussions for the child brides. Fortunately, educating girls has been shown to greatly reduce the practice of underage marriages. Girls’ schooling in Pakistan must be increased to solve the problem of child brides.

Marrying young creates many health issues for the bride and her children. Child brides tend to become pregnant at a young age ("Child Marriage”). Most teen wives are pregnant by fourteen years old ("Pakistan's Child Brides”). Girls who are ten to fourteen when they have children are five times more likely to die in pregnancy or childbirth than twenty to twenty-four year olds ("Child Marriage"). Fifteen to nineteen years old mothers are still two times more likely die than twenty to twenty-four year olds ("Child Marriage"). Higher mortality rates for the mother and her child are attributable to the fact that childbirth puts a strain on a young mother’s not fully developed body ("Child Marriage"). This makes them prone to having complications during pregnancy, such as excessive bleeding, fistulas, obstructed labor, infection, anemia, and eclampsia ("Child Marriage"). Aside from illness caused by pregnancy, child brides are susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases ("Child Marriage"). Their husbands, who are frequently much older, have often had sex with other women before and may have been infected with HIV/AIDS ("Child Marriage"). Maladies due to pregnancy, childbirth, and sexually transmitted diseases are common among under aged wives.

Young brides also face numerous mental health problems. Some of these are caused by the girls not being ready for marriage. Child brides are often forced into having sex by their husbands ("Child Marriage"). Being a mother and wife is a big responsibility, which can put a strain on girls emotional health, view of self and their relationships ("Child Marriage"). With a minimal education and a cultural taboo regarding sex, young brides know little about sexual relations, their bodies and reproduction ("Child Marriage"). Girls thereby cannot make informed choices about sex, having kids and their health ("Child Marriage"). Abuse additionally puts a toll on child brides’ mental state. In rural Pakistan, tribal traditions influence local interpretations of Islam, prompting woman to be viewed as possessions (“Blackwell”). Men are supposed to lead their wives, but work in partnership (“Blackwell”). However, men are allowed to discipline their wives by beating them, which results in high levels of domestic violence (“Blackwell”). Studies have found that wives who had married young were more likely to believe that it is acceptable for husbands to occasionally beat their spouses, and thereby had a greater chance of experiencing abuse ("Child Marriage”). Post traumatic stress and depression are common among teen brides ("Child Marriage Facts”). Because child brides are not mature enough for the role of wife and mother, are not able to make informed decisions, and are often maltreated, underage marriage induces multiple mental health problems.

There are various social hardships generated by marrying young. Teen wives are financially dependent on their husbands ("Students, Not Brides”). They consequently have less say in their family, and are more likely to be and remain impoverished ("Students, Not Brides”). Because poor girls are twice are likely to marry before they are eighteen, this increases the chances that their daughters also will marry young (“Child Marriage Facts"). Furthermore, it is common for young brides to work in servitude for their in-laws ("Child Marriage”). Child brides are destined to a life governed by others.

Educating girls has been found to be the best way to end child marriage. The non-profit Girls Not Brides, that works to end child marriage, has found that “Laws alone won’t end child marriage – in many instances legislation is not enforced as many local authorities are reluctant to be seen as interfering in the private affairs of families.” ("How Can We End”). In developing countries like Pakistan, if a girl gets at least seven years of schooling, they marry an average of four years latter ("How Can We End”). Just by completing a secondary education, girls are six times less likely to become child brides ("Students, Not Brides”). Larger numbers of girls going to school changes social norms about women’s role in society and marriage ("How Can We End”). School provides a safe environment for girls to learn how to express themselves ("How Can We End”). They then can convey their desire to marry at a latter age and share life experiences; hence they do not feel weak and alone ("How Can We End”). Empowering women through knowledge allows them to better control their lives and the lives of their children (Kinnear). In order to solve the issue of underage marriage, Pakistani girls must be educated.

It is one endeavor to find a solution, and another to implement it. Firstly, it is of paramount importance to provide female role models to girls ("Students, Not Brides”). The Girls Empowerment Network in Malawi applies this method to inspire girls to strive for more education and independent futures ("Students, Not Brides”). Secondly, schools must be regulated to prevent sexual abuse of students (Kinnear). Inappropriate behavior is common in shared bathrooms ("Students, Not Brides”). Building single sex bathrooms has been proven by the Educate Girls non-governmental organization to get more girls to be, and remain in, school ("Students, Not Brides”). Furthermore, better bathrooms to makes it more comfortable for girls during their periods, which eliminates a reason girls might miss days of school (Kinnear). Building schools closer to home (Kinnear), and supplying drinking water, have also been shown to get more girls to attend school ("Students, Not Brides”). Daughters are seen as financial hardships, who must be married off to be gotten rid of quickly ("Islamic Republic”). Parents can be reimbursed if they promise to not marry off their daughters and keep them in school ("Students, Not Brides”). The Population Council NGO in northern Ethiopia gave parents livestock in return for continued schooling, and improved girls attendance rates ("Students, Not Brides”). Along with giving parents incentive to educate their daughters, the leaders of the community must be informed of the value and importance of teaching and empowering girls ("Students, Not Brides”). Consequently, more jobs will be opened to women and the preference for hiring men will end, giving girls a greater reason to get educated (Kinnear). There are numerous methods of increasing education for girls, which all help to end youth marriage, as well as other disadvantages faced by women in Pakistan.

Ironically, the practice of child brides leads to a lack of education for girls. In contrast to western countries, girls in Pakistan are told not to study, as their role in society is to be a wife and mother ("Students, Not Brides”). The average family who can’t afford to sent all of their children to school, will only sends their sons (“Blackwell”). Men will be able to use an education better than undervalued women who are not encouraged to work outside of the home (“Blackwell”). Because daughters will marry and leave their home, paying for their schooling offers no gains for their parents (Kinnear). Once married, wives have to care for their children and families, leaving little time to study and continue their education ("Students, Not Brides). The young, uneducated mothers are additionally less likely to encourage their daughters to get educated (Kinnear). As the problems and solutions are interrelated, ending youth marriage and educating women must be worked on together to be able to succeed.

All in all, the practice of child brides in Pakistan is still an enormous human rights violation. Marrying young is a catalyst to multiple health, mental and social problems. Educating girls has been shown to be an effective way of decreasing this problem. The international community must raise awareness about this issue, and facilitate female schooling in Pakistan. Aiding non-profits such as Girls Not Brides, CARE, and the Hoshyar Foundation, in their work is an easy way to make a huge difference for the girls and their communities. No one should have to go through what Nazia, the child bride, has experienced. It is time to end the practice of child brides once and for all.


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