Is child marriage only practiced in Muslims in certain areas? Or other people also practice this?
Though driven by a combination of cultural, financial, and religious elements, child marriage is not limited to any one religious or cultural group but rather is indeed performed across many countries. Here’s a wider view:
Muslim Communities: Sometimes interpretations of Islamic law justify child marriage, especially in reference to the young marriage of Aisha to the Prophet Muhammad. Though opinions differ and not all Muslim-majority nations or groups support or accept underage marriage. For marriage, for instance, nations like Iran have specified minimum age limits; yet, court permission allows exceptions.
Hindu Communities: Particularly in rural areas, child marriage continues in India despite legislation defining the legal marriage age at 18 for women and 21 for men. Often instead of religious requirements, this behavior relates to cultural customs, financial considerations, or societal constraints.
Christian Communities: Though less often discussed, child marriage also exists in Christian communities all throughout the globe, usually in response to cultural norms rather than religious beliefs. For example, early marriages in some parts of Africa could result from traditional norms or financial considerations.
Though often these traditions are more about cultural standards or economic survival than religious instruction, child marriage has been reported in Jewish, Buddhist, and other communities worldwide.
Beyond religion, poverty, lack of education, and the want to strengthen social ties or obtain economic gains through marriage alliances, secular factors also play major roles in sustaining child marriage throughout many countries.
Legal and International Views: Through treaties like the Convention on the Rights of the Child, international law defines a child as anybody under 18, so opposing child marriage. But because of well rooted customs or readings of religious scriptures, cultural and legal practices in different nations might not coincide with these worldwide norms.
With groups like UNICEF and UNFPA working on programs emphasizing education, financial support, and altering social norms, there is a worldwide movement aiming at ending child marriage. These initiatives seek to solve the practice in any society where it exists independent of religious affiliation.
In essence, child marriage crosses boundaries and is impacted by a complex interaction of socioeconomic, cultural, and occasionally religious elements, even if media coverage or particular behaviors would clearly link it to some religious or cultural groups. Eliminating it calls for addressing these several factors for all the societies where the practice continues.
Originally published at http://munaeem.de on September 8, 2024.
