In this contemporary society, while child marriage has mostly been regarded as illegal practice and banned accordingly in many countries, some cases still exist and they mostly come from unlawful regions where women experience injustices, especially young girls. In my view, girls under the age of consent must never be allowed to engage in an official marriage with another person due to many prominent effects.
First of all, girls under 18 are still going through stages of mental development. This means that they aren’t mature enough to understand or carry the weight of marriage and family life. As a result, it leads to the overwhelming pressure and emotional stress young girls may have to face if they have no voice and feel trapped in the relationship.
Secondly, early marriage can put their health at serious risk, especially when they are pregnant. In this state, pregnancy demands substantial physical and mental strength altogether from a woman. Since they’re still developing, most girls are hardly capable of childbirth, which could lead to complications for both the mother and the baby.
Last but not least, getting married early often means leaving school. Without completing their education, girls lose the opportunity to gain knowledge and develop important life skills, which limits their future career options. As a matter of fact, in 2014, roughly 40% of women living in Nepal reported that their marriage was the main reason for leaving school. The risk of school dropout due to marriages were also found to reach its peak after girls complete the 7th or 8th grade, which is 65%.
All in all, I firmly believe that the practice of marrying young women should be banned completely in the modern era to allow them more opportunities for studying and developing life skills in the future.