Nepal's Children - 3
In Nepal alone, according to UNICEF, 40% of girls are married by the age of 14. In fact, up to 7% are married by the age of 10. The number of marriages reaches a disturbing 60.2% when girls are between the ages of 15 and 19. These figures can be further broken down into regions - the average age for marriage in the Terai district is 15.2 years old, 18 years old in the hilly regions, 18.5 years old in the mountains, and 18.8 years old in Kathmandu Valley .
There are also many different ethnic groups in Nepal as well, and these can influence the age children get married at: [6]
| Ethnic Group |
Married
1-9 years old |
Married
10-13 years old |
Married
14-16 years old |
Married
Total: Under 16 |
| Maithili |
23% |
56.7% |
16.2% |
95.9% |
| Parbatiya |
14.85% |
9.3% |
50% |
74.15% |
| Tamang |
0% |
12.8% |
36.2% |
49% |
| Newar |
2.2% |
26.7% |
13% |
41.9% |
| Rai |
0% |
6% |
30% |
36% |
The effects of child marriage are numerous and distressing. A child that is not physically, mentally, emotionally, or psychologically ready for a conjugal life can suffer in many ways - it can deprive girls of the opportunity of starting or continuing their education, and can make them feel used and worthless, just like a commodity.
In addition to the severe emotional trauma and responsibility of being married too young, the physical side of the marriage can be devastating for a girl whose body is not yet ready for sexual intercourse. This can result in many health problems, including cervical cancer. In the Terai district, it is common for 10 or 12-year-old married girls to suffer sex related injuries, pain, and sickness.
Pregnancy at a Young Age
Unfortunately, these child brides often fall pregnant themselves, and are thrust into the role of motherhood much sooner than they can deal with. Not only this, but the physical act of giving birth for a child under the age of 18 is extremely dangerous and hazardous. The underdeveloped uterus cannot provide a full protection shield, and the amyontic fluid needed for the survival and growth of the fetus might not be mature enough. This can lead to underdeveloped or weak offspring. Shockingly, many children suffocate to death during the birth process because of cervical dilation (lack of elasticity in the cervix).
In Nepal , the average woman gives birth to her first child at the age of 15 and has the total fertility rate of 5.8. In total, around 2443 teenagers are recorded as giving birth every year (that's approximately 17.45% of all recorded births over the course of the year). The infant mortality rate is around 107 per 1000 live births and the under 5 mortality rate is 165 per 1000 births.
Not only do the children of Nepal have child marriages, child labour, and child abuse to deal with, they also have deal with the conflict that rages through this nation.
Violence in Nepal
Nepal is a country that has been in conflict for many years, and in the course of eight years, over 1200 children have been directly affected by the violence connected to the operations carried out by the government and the Maoists, after the "People's War" was waged by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) in February 1996.
In the period of January to June 2004, 56 children were killed and 116 were injured in conflict-related violence. Terrifyingly, 6689 children were abducted and 84 children were arrested. Even during the period of ceasefire, children were still killed (13 to be exact). Security forces also arrested hundreds of children below the age of 18. During the conflict, more than 2,000 children have been orphaned, and around 8,000 children have been displaced.
The conditions that children in Nepal face are ones that no child should ever have to encounter - in fact, they are things that no human should ever experience. These children are being robbed not only of their childhood, but of their innocence as well. Simply put, the children of Nepal deserve the same future as everyone else.
Sources
1. International Labour Organisation
http://www.ilo.org/
2. CWIN Nepal
http://www.cwin.org.np/
3. Child Abuse.com
http://www.child-abuse.com/
4. Ministry of Education
http://www.moe.gov.np/
5. Nepal Medical Association
http://www.nma.org.np/
6. UNICEF
http://www.unicef.org
page 1
page 2
page 3
