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Tag: early marriage

Girls at Risk of Early Marriage, Pregnancies, and Missing Out on School due to COVID-19

Effects of Poverty on Education in Kirinyaga County- Kenya.

743 million!! That’s the number of girls that are out of school right now due to schools shutting down to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Most of these girls may never even return to school after the crisis is over.

Do you know what this means?

These girls are going to miss out on so many opportunities. They are also more likely to experience abuse, child marriage, early pregnancies, violence, and hardship.

With so many issues arising during this time like police brutality, gender-based violence, and digital gaps, we also need to take a close look at how the COVID-19 pandemic will impact girls around the world, and examine past crises to understand the current risks.

Over the past few months, as COVID-19 has moved from a fear-producing unknown to an era-defining terror, we’ve seen mainstream media coverage that mirrors the failures of our healthcare system, the police force, and the government as a whole.

Teenage pregnancies are rising in the wake of this pandemic because so many girls are being sexually exploited in the crisis-affected areas.

Susan, a 15-year-old girl says “ I know that so many girls in my area will suffer. There will be a scarcity of food, we will get abused and violated. Boys always ask for sexual favors if we ask them for help.”

Low-income families are most likely to force their daughters into early marriage. These girls will no longer be able to go back to school and live up to their full potential.

Related Stories: Poverty and Depression as a Result of COVID-19 Has Affected the Youth in Kenya.

Pandemics have been seen to make existing gender inequalities worse and can make it more difficult for women and girls to receive treatment and health.

Health care systems have been forced to channel all of their resources to combat an epidemic so sexual and reproductive health care has been overlooked despite the persistent need for adequate family planning, menstrual health resources, and maternal care.

 

 

 

Universities online learning during covid-19

Many schools all over the world have turned to remote learning to keep students busy but it is unfortunate that most girls do not have access to the tools that are required.

Did you know that only 39% of girls who live in rural areas make it to secondary school? Boys, on the other hand, 45% of them make it to secondary school globally.

Now imagine how much this divide has grown due to COVID-19.

Families choosing boys to go to school over girls is as a result of gender norms. It is absurd how in the 21st century, there is no agency in such issues. Girls still do not have a voice.

Related Stories: Coronavirus- How to Manage Your Mental Health During Self-Isolation.

 

Another issue is that the number of boys in low-income families who own smartphones is much higher compared to girls.

Remote learning becomes so much easier for them. Girls not only do not have access to remote learning, but also general access to learning period!

The big challenge that has remained in many countries is that girls drop out of school at much higher rates than boys.

We have made so much effort to get girls to go to school, and suddenly schools are closed.

School closures are not only causing girls to miss out academically; they also prevent girls from having access to benefits like support from other students and teachers, or the chance to network.

Protect A Girls Image is calling on governments and local authorities to make education affordable and accessible for all, continue access to sexual and reproductive information and services, protect families from hunger, tackle gender-based violence, and provide support for refugees, girls, and women.

 

CONCLUSION

Truth is that in times of crisis, disparities like these become even more apparent.

We have seen the effects this pandemic is having on women and girls.

From the increased reports of domestic violence as survivors are forced to lockdown with their abusers, to the restrictions on reproductive healthcare and the challenges of working women struggling to balance work and family.

The fact that 85% of all nurses, 75% of primary caregivers, and 62% of minimum and low-wage workers are women—women and girls’ lives are especially impacted by this pandemic.

There is a need to look at the global crisis through a gendered lens, to create awareness so we can then address these issues and create change.

Do you agree?

 

An Incredible Story of Child Marriage.

Evah Wambui – 19 years old – got pregnant when she was 16 years old in high school. Having a typical African mother, she was asked to go live with the boy who got her pregnant.

This is how the life of Evah as a child bride began. She went ahead and lived with her boyfriend’s family who mistreated her for bringing “shame” into their family.

All this time, her boyfriend stayed in school.

After she gave birth, she could not bear the ridicule and so she went back to her mother’s house.

Evah’s mother accepted her on the condition that she had to work on people’s farms as a casual laborer to feed her child.

Evah’s story is just one of the many in Kenya.

Child Marriage is still rampant in Kenya, especially among rural communities. It affects both boys and girls but girls are more affected due to socio-economic and cultural factors.

According to the Demographic Health Survey (DHS) 2014, 4% of girls were married by the age of 15 years while 23% were married by the age of 18 years in Kenya.

However, child marriage rates vary across regions with North Eastern and Coast regions having the highest prevalence rates, while the Central region and Nairobi have the lowest rates.

Girls married early are exposed to lifetime violence and are entrapped in the cycle of poverty. Child brides often live in isolation, dependent on their husbands and with little access to education, health or protection from violence and abuse.

What’s the child marriage rate? How big of an issue is child marriage?

In Kenya the legal age of marriage is eighteen years (18) and above, 43.3% percent of girls get married before they attain this age. The main reasons are poverty, tradition and gender inequality.

Just imagine this, If nothing is done to change this trend, an estimated 70 million girls will be married as children over the next five years. This translates to tens of thousands of girls every day.

We have a Mission here at Protect A Girls’ Image.

We continue to encourage parents and community members about the importance of education and the need not only to send their children to school but also to ensure that they complete the school cycle.

Teacher Wanjiku, a Senior teacher of Kangai Primary School, says “slowly but surely, parents are beginning to see the importance of education for their children. It is only through education that we can eradicate poverty. We need to involve other communities in Kirinyaga County to embrace the project and continue to encourage both boys and girls to complete the school cycle.”

 

Where rape turns to marriage.

In other cases, parents reach an agreement with the families of men who sexually assault their daughters so that both families save face.

Waithera (name withheld) was walking home from school shortly after dusk when she was grabbed and taken into her father’s maize farm.

The culprit named Njoroge raped her and when she reported this to her father, he informed the area chief who held the suspect for two days.

Meanwhile, the chief, Waithera’s father, and Njoroge’s family met and agreed that they get married since she was “no longer innocent”. The girl’s opinion did not count.

It may be difficult to imagine that there are still communities where such barbaric practices are legal. But the reality is that it remains widespread – particularly in developing nations.

 

RELATED CONTENT: Ten Ways to Teach Your Children About Consent at Every Age.

What causes child marriage to happen and what are the effects?

What causes child marriage and the effects

The causes of child marriage are complex and varied, motivated by different factors across communities and regions – sometimes, even within the same country.

Child marriage is often driven by engrained traditions and poverty. 

For struggling families, their best chance of survival may require marrying their daughters off, just because they can’t afford to keep them. Overwhelmingly, child brides come from the world’s most impoverished communities.

Poverty.

Within these contexts, girls (and women) aren’t seen as potential wage earners. Rather, they are financial burdens to their families and consequently, less valuable than boys.

For parents with several children or living in extreme poverty, child marriage is simply a way to help alleviate the desperate economic conditions they find themselves in.

It’s one less mouth to feed and one less education to fund.

Sometimes, girls are married to help offset debts, settle conflicts or as a substitute for money.

Worse still, families may have no choice but to arrange a younger daughter’s marriage along with her sister’s, if a cheaper “package deal” can be had.

There are so many ways in which child marriage creates economic incentives for young girls to be married off early – whether for financial security or gain.

Sadly, the practice also tends to trap these girls into a lifetime of economic disadvantage.

Poverty is one of the key causes of child marriage, but it’s also an ongoing consequence.

Robbed of the chance to grow, learn and fully realize her potential, child brides are disempowered.

Tradition.

Child marriage can also be influenced by norms and beliefs. In some societies, marriage is nothing more than a phase of womanhood.

Once menstruation starts, a girl is seen as a grown woman, so the logical next steps for her in life are marriage and motherhood.

Younger girls may also be perceived as more amenable, more easily shaped into an obedient wife.

In many cultures, girls who have lost their virginity are considered “ruined” or “unsuitable” for marriage.

Parents may arrange a union for their daughter while she is young to ensure she remains a virgin and to maximize her child-bearing years.

Survival.

For other families, forced child marriage is a survival strategy.

If they cannot afford to feed and educate all of their children, marrying off the girls would be “the next best thing” to starving, while also allowing them to give preference to boys’ schooling.

Education.

Child marriage statistics show that girls who aren’t in school face a greater risk of becoming child brides.

Girls who have no education are three times more likely to marry before 18 than girls who attended secondary school or higher.

When girls have access to education, they develop the knowledge and confidence to make important life decisions for themselves – including if, when and who to marry.

Even for those in school, early marriage can significantly impact a girl’s ability to continue with education.

Many are forced to drop out in order to focus on domestic responsibilities or to raise children of their own.

Parents and community leaders may see education as unnecessary for their primary roles in life as a wife and mother.

Adolescent pregnancy.

Child marriage is seen as a safeguard against immoral behavior.

A 2012 Plan study shows that parents in Kilifi and Kwale married off pregnant daughters to protect their family status and name, and to receive both dowry and a “penalty” payment from the man responsible for the pregnancy.

Children are respected more when their mother is married, and become ng’ide awi (children of the home) rather than ng’ide akeor (children of the field).

Among Kuria communities, young pregnant girls are sometimes married off to older women who cannot bear sons, in a tradition known as Nyumba boke.

Partying.

The practice of partying at discos after funerals or in local centers has also been cited as a driver of teenage pregnancy which sees girls drop out of school and seek early marriage.

 

What are our measures in eradicating child marriage?

Apart from Raising School Fees for children to go back to School in Kangai Village, we are implementing ways on how to tame and end child marriage in Kenya. They are the following:

  • Implementation of the Children Act
  • Creating awareness of the effects of child marriage.
  • Involving fathers.
  • Adequate Funding.
  • Mentorship.
  • Reporting cases of child marriage.
  • Delaying child marriage by taking the girls to school.

Protect A Girls’ Image pledges to link up with many strong groups and do more than we currently do to enable communities to have the knowledge to abandon this practice and pursue the Goal of having an Educated generation.

 

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Effects of Poverty on Education in Kirinyaga County- Kenya.

 

Juliet Wanja, Doreen Karimi  and Christine Wanjiru are all 15 year old girls who are not sure if they will join High School in 2020 due to lack of school fees. This is a reality for thousands of children in Kenya right now. Currently, the Kenyan primary education is free but still regular school attendance is a challenge mainly due to low family incomes.

For instance, over 1.2 million children of school-going age are out of school and involved in practices such as child labor to supplement family income. There is also a 27% primary school dropout rate related to poverty issues. Imagine having these challenges in primary education. We find that fewer children are enrolled in secondary school, with only about a 40% enrollment rate.

Ending poverty in all of its form everywhere is crucial to achieving sustainable development in the world. We encourage various stakeholders to invest in education of our Beneficiaries because there is a lot to be gained in terms of poverty alleviation since poverty is a challenge to education.

It’s a bit ironic that we are fighting for our children to go to school while at the same time, our poor quality education is another one of the causes of poverty in Kenya. A high number of children are cramped together in classrooms, there are minimal teaching materials and each class has a single teacher.

With a poor teacher to student ratio, children who learn differently end up getting left behind because the teacher does not have a chance to serve each child individually. Those children who are left behind remain enrolled in school until they can catch up, adding to the amount of resources needed, since there is not an even ratio of new students to graduated students.

However, Protect a Girls’ Image Organization believes that education has a direct correlation with income. The higher the level of education, the less likely the person is to fall below poverty line.

Educating girls in particular makes them more likely to take control of decisions relating to fertility, family welfare, health. This means that education is not just a need but a tool to alleviate poverty.

With Donations from well wishers like you in place this shouldn’t be a problem. It seems simple enough – at least on the face of it. Every child in our care between the ages of six and 17 has the right to compulsory education and this cannot happen without your kind donations.

Have you seen our latest Fundraising Campaign for School Fees for our 40 children in our care? Click Here>>>  https://t.co/rFenbUMW4w

 

What is the right to education?

Education is a basic human right for all and is important for everyone to make the most of their lives. Other human rights include the right to freedom from slavery or torture and to a fair trial.

Having an education helps people to access all of their other human rights. Education improves an individual’s chances in life and helps to tackle poverty.

 

Why does it matter?

Education reduces poverty, decreases social inequalities, empowers children and helps each individual reach their full potential.

It also brings significant economic returns for a country and helps societies to achieve lasting peace and sustainable development. Education is key to achieving all other human rights.

Education that targets poor populations like where our children live will bring change to many of the systemic factors that have contributed to the delay in poor communities’ development. Education can prevent the transmission of poverty between generations. Education also has documented effect on health, nutrition, economic development and on environmental protection (UNESCO 2104: Sustainable development begins with education).

Our goal in 2020 is to make sure all our children are enrolled in school with all the supplies which include ( school fees, a school bag, books, and writing materials)

Despite great progress we have made this year, 12 out of our 40 children are still not enrolled in school.

Would you like to help one of these children to be enrolled in school? We will be so grateful if you Give trough this link>>>>>>  https://t.co/rFenbUMW4w

 

 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD INVEST IN A CHILD’S EDUCATION.

Investing in Education yields significant development benefits.

Education reduces poverty, boosts economic growth and increases income. It increases a person’s chances of having a healthy life, reduces maternal deaths, and combats diseases such as HIV and AIDS. Education can promote gender equality, reduce child marriage, and promote peace. In sum, education is one of the most important investments a country can make in its people and its future.

Education is essential to the success of every one of the 17 global goals.

Formally adopted at the UN General Assembly in September 2015, the Global Goals for Sustainable Development frame the global development agenda for 2016-2030. The Global Goal 4 on education aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”

Education is Critical during times of conflict.

In times of conflict and crisis, children are forced out of school, which contributes to higher drop-out rates and lower completion rates. Having a strong focus on education in these countries is critical, since education promotes stability, good governance, and peace. It can also provide a visible sign of a return to normalcy for children.

A Poor quality education is almost like no education.

Great progress has been achieved in enrolling children in school around the world. But it’s not enough to get children in school, we also need to ensure that they learn to read, count, and acquire the necessary life skills. A special focus has to be given to the most vulnerable and marginalized groups (including children living in fragile and conflict affected areas, children with disabilities and girls) who are most likely to be affected because of a lack of well-trained  teachers, inadequate learning materials, and unsuitable education infrastructure.

Achieving the Global Goal for education by 2030 cost US $1.25 a day per child in Developing countries.

It costs on average US $1.25  a day per child in developing countries (low and lower-middle income) to provide a full cycle of pre-primary through secondary education (13 years). The largest share of this cost, 88%, is borne by the developing countries themselves. The international community should help in filling the funding gap of just 15 cents a day per child.

Education has a multiplier effect.

Educated girls and women tend to be healthier, have fewer children, earn more income and provide better health care for themselves and their future children. These benefits also are transmitted from generation to generation and across communities at large, making girls’ education one of the best investments a country can make.

Children with disabilities are often excluded from education systems.

In many countries, a combination of discrimination, social attitudes, poverty, lack of political will, and poor quality of human and material resources leave children with disabilities more vulnerable to being excluded from education. It is essential that societies adapt their education systems to ensure that these children can enjoy their basic human right without discrimination of any kind.

Early childhood education is vital to lifelong success.

Investing in quality early childhood education brings the highest returns from individuals, societies and countries. Children who have access to quality early childhood programs do better in primary school and will have better education outcomes later. It is vital that low and lower middle-income countries invest more in affordable early childhood programs.

Read More: Operation: Help Send our 17 boys and 23 girls back to School in 2020.

Skills that Fathers should teach their 13 year old Daughters in 2020.