Problem wczesnych małżeństw w Afryce Środkowej i Zachodniej a prawa dziecka
Problem of early marriages in the Middle and West Africa and the rights of child

Author(s): Weronika Szyszka
Subject(s): Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego
Summary/Abstract: The subject of this article is to analyze the practice of early marriage, also known as a girl’s marriage or child marriage, which remains an important issue in Africa. It is also aimed to explain why early marriage is considered as the violation of human rights, with particular reference to the rights of the child. In West and Central Africa two out of five girls under the age of 18 are child brides. This paper presents the causes of child marriage in Africa, such as: poverty, gender inequality, tradition, social pressure, and low level of education. Further, the consequences of child marriage are presented. The Author also outlines the profile of a girl that is most commonly vulnerable to become a child bride: a girl who is poor, has little or no education, lives in rural area and is perceived as less valuable human being than a boy. The phenomenon of early marriages is presented in the context of binding norms of international law.

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