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Child Marriages in NamibiaHilma Ndapewa AngulaStudent Number: 219369939University of NamibiaCONCLUTIONTable of ContentsABSTRACT 3CHILD MARRIAGES IN NAMIBIA 3MAIN POINTS OF THE ARTICLE 3HOW IS CHILD MARRIAGE A SOCIAL ISSUE? 3SPECIFIC IMPLICATION FOR SOCAILWORK PRACTICE AND SOCAIL PROGRAMMES IN REGARDS TO CHILD MARRGE 3DISCUSSION 3CONCLUTION 3ABSTRACTDespite national laws put in place to protect the girl and boy child, marriage of girls and boys under the age of 18 years of age is common in some parts of Namibia and affects masses. Child marriage is a human rights violation that prevents girls and boys from obtaining an education, enjoying optimal health, bonding with others their own age, maturing, and ultimately choosing their own life partners’ Child marriage is compelled by poverty and has many effects on girls and boys health.
To stop child marriage, policies and programs must educate communities, raise awareness, engage local and religious leaders, involve parents, and empower girls through education and employment. (Nour, Emerg Infect Dis., 2006)Keywords: Child marriage, early marriage, education, policies, awareness CHILD MARRIAGES IN NAMIBIA16 June, Namibia celebrate the Day of the African Child.
It is an international celebration however children’s rights are violated every day, children are married of at a very young age.How can we define child marriage? Child marriage is a formal marriage or casual union entered into by an individual before reaching the age of 18. It traditionally happens in some of our cultures. At its core, child marriage is a violation of child protection and human rights. Many factors can lead to child marriage or a forced marriage ” from financial or food insecurity to cultural or social norms. Whatever the cause, child marriage compromises a child’s development and severely limits her or his opportunities in life.’ (reid, 2018)By law, children under the age of 18 cannot get married without the consent of both their parents and the state. This is to protect children in Namibia. However, habitually, some children under the age of 18 are still getting married. This is blasphemous to the basic right of children. Such children often do not choose their significant other (it is chosen for them by their parents) and are not given a choice. Child marriage affects both boys and girls, though the overwhelming majority of those affected are girls, most of whom are in poor socio-economic situations. In this case, girls not only get married, but are often also pressurized to drop out of school to start a family. MAIN POINTS OF THE ARTICLEThis article deliberates the malicious problem of child marriage and abuses of children the Tsumke schools in Namibia in three Despite laws put in place by the state to end child marriages Ministry of Education, reveals that 50 girls at the Gamand Tsumkwe senior secondary schools are falling pregnant due to high number of child marriage I the community. This girls are married to young boys who also attend formal school The article outlined that are policy tha allow pregnant girls to attend formal school and also return one they have delivered.several cases of child sexual abuse, child marriage,and neglect of children in the sub-region. Poverty and traditional cultural practices have been discussed as the main causes of this phenomenon.HOW IS CHILD MARRIAGE A SOCIAL ISSUE?Child marriage harms girls and boy child’s right to education, health and a life free from exploitation and violence.Messure were taken for Poverty plays an essential role in perpetuating child marriage. Parents want to ensure their children’s financial security; however, the girl child is considered an economic burden. Feeding, clothing, and educating girls is exorbitant, and girls will eventually leave their families to marry into another family. In some communities in Namibia a family’s only way to recover its investment in a daughter may be to have the girl child married in exchange for a dowry. In some countries, the dowry decreases as the girl gets older, which may allure parents to have their daughters married at younger ages. These are not necessarily merciless parents but, rather, parents who are surviving under heartless conditions. Furthermore, child marriages form new groupings between tribes, clans, and villages; reinforce social ties; and stabilize vital social status in addition SPECIFIC IMPLICATION FOR SOCAILWORK PRACTICE AND SOCAIL PROGRAMMES IN REGARDS TO CHILD MARRGE.The implications for social work education, policy, research and practice have been discussed in addition to a call for enforcement of legislations and mass education of citizens in the sub-regionDISCUSSIONIn my view I belie that Negotion powerof young girls and boys is deeply compromised due to harmful traditional practices, children can no longer make informaed and critical decision for themselves but a pressurized ito marrage by their families. Education and sensation is the most essential part of reaching people regarding early and forced marriages, We need to educate Girls and empower girls,educate Parents, mobilize religious leaders and community elders, support adolescent girls who are already married, support legislation against child marriageCONCLUTIONChild marriage is a serious issue in our societies, not only in under develop countrie but developing countries, authorities should be more cautious about the laws and prevent this activity assoon as possible REFERENCESRumble, L., Peterman, A., Irdiana, N., Triyana, M., & Minnick, E. (2018). An empirical exploration of female child marriage determinants in Indonesia. BMC public health, 18(1), 407. doi:10.1186/s12889-018-5313-0Mourtada, R., Schlecht, J., & DeJong, J. (2017). A qualitative study exploring child marriage practices among Syrian conflict-affected populations in Lebanon. Conflict and health, 11(Suppl 1), 27. doi:10.1186/s13031-017-0131-zAhmed, Tahera. (2015). Child Marriage: A Discussion Paper. Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics. 6. 8. 10.3329/bioethics.v6i2.25740.
