Child Marriage: Education is Every Child's Right

Part 3 of 3

by Hannah Malcolm

Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom. -George Washington Carver

While at the Yenadi community, I met a young girl, around 12 years old, who was working for a local hatchery. She told us of how she dropped out of school during 7th grade and now worked at the hatchery to bring more money in for her and her family. At such a young age, she had already begun to provide for those in her family, putting her own education to the side. Her story was one among many of children who, at a very young age, begin to shoulder part of the responsibility to provide additional income. Many of them work as child laborers in unsafe conditions, and many more get married at such a tender age.

For those who are trapped in generational poverty, education is one of the key things that can break them free. However, a lack of education hand in hand due to the perpetuation of child marriage leads to a barrier that youths around the world are struggling to break through. 

In many impoverished regions, education is not seen as a priority. Since it is a long term investment, many families see it as a gamble that may not help their children in the long run and favor child marriage and labor instead for immediate income. However, this leads to a chain reaction that culminates in the loss of human rights for many young girls across developing nations. Girls with little education are the most likely to be married before 18 and/or have children and hardly, if ever, return to school. They end up being violated, stuck in bonded labor situations, and generally living a poorer quality of life.

▲ Comparison of the proportion of girls versus boys levels of education, from UNESCO eAtlas of Gender Inequality in Education.

However, education doesn’t just begin or end with attending school. The lack of education pervades all aspects of life. These children don’t receive health education, whether that be hygiene, medical, or sexual education. Many of them lack this education in their homes, and while it might be taught in schools, a lack of attendance means it isn’t learned at all. This leads to continuous health issues, as outlined in the previous part of this series.

These different parts of education can work together to enrich lives and strengthen people. Whether it be creating healthy habits or encouraging high achievers, education is a door to success in many regards.

What’s being done

The Indian government has recently been taking action to ensure that education becomes a priority, with many efforts put into place to ensure that it is maintained and established for all youth in the nation.

In the recent case of Society for Enlightenment and Voluntary Action Versus Union of India regarding cracking down on child marriage, the importance of education was outlined, and that the right to education was violated by the commission of international law, including primary education, information, and sex education. Part of this was the reinforcement of free education, and ensuring the awareness of access to education to those in all areas. This recent government attention will hopefully increase school attendance and educational attainment.

▲ SFIRD in Bapatla at the Child Marriage Free India [CMFI] campaign at Chirala Government High School & Junior College reinforcing the CMFI mandate and purpose.

With the recent renovation of the school done by SFIRD and RH, education has been able to take a place in the forefront for the Yenadis. Now it stands as a building of refuge and progress, and it has encouraged more children to attend regularly. In the future, we hope that more and more Yenadi children will begin to recognize how powerful education can be, and see them break the cycle of poverty.

▲ Families gathered in celebration after the renovation of the school, where lessons and food are now regularly given.

Along with learning their regular curriculum, children and families are taught hygiene and health information by Dr. Rama Rao, with sanitation kits being provided for both them and their families in the recent and regular medical camps, which will hopefully turn into a permanent medical clinic in time. 

▲ Children recieve sanitation kits and learn how to use them with Dr. Rama Rao.

Education should not be a privilege but a right. Every child deserves to learn and be curious, to pursue what it is that inspires and drives them. They are more than brides and grooms, more than child laborers. They are the future innovators, artists, educators, leaders and researchers of our time, and we must invest in their lives. Their success means the end of this cycle and the creation of a new generational legacy. One that prides itself in achieving anything one can dream of.

We cannot allow these children to be limited anymore, for the potential that lies within them is boundless, and the world needs them now more than ever. 

As we come to an end of looking into the implications of child marriage, consider this. Would you want this for your own sisters, your daughters? Can you imagine having to put those you love through such an ordeal, merely to make ends meet? Together, we can make sure not another child will have to go through this again.

Every child saved from the holds of child marriage is a child who can create future generations of prosperity and success. This is not a lost cause, for we have only scratched the surface on the work that can be done, because there is so much in store for so many around the world.

We must do our part to help this next generation open those golden doors of freedom. Whether that be through breaking the systemic cycle, providing medical care, or increasing education, in the end, they need support—support to break free, to choose, to live a fulfilling and enriched life.

No more should children have to have their lives relegated to being brides and grooms, mothers and fathers before it’s an appropriate time. The future is in their hands, so let’s help them form it.

Thank you for being a part of this inspiring journey!

If you would like to know more: more.info@rhlife.org

To donate to Restoration Humanity: www.rhlife.org/donate

Sources

Ribhu, Bhuwan. When Children Have Children. New Dehli, Prabhat Prakashan Books, 2023 

Society for Enlightenment and Voluntary Action Versus Union of India https://api.sci.gov.in/supremecourt/2017/36052/36052_2017_1_1501_56564_Judgement_18-Oct-2024.pdf

UNESCO. Twice as many girls as boys will never start school says new UNESCO Gender eAtlas, April 2023 https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/twice-many-girls-boys-will-never-start-school-says-new-unesco-gender-eatlas