The bride is walking down the aisle wearing a beautiful white dress, her face covered in heavy, mask-like makeup and a delicate veil draped over her head. Her tiny hands holding the flower bouquet are shaking. 

Tiny hands that should still be holding her favourite teddy bear—the bride is just a child. 

This happens a lot more often than you think.

UNICEF reports that one in five women aged 20–24 were married as children, estimating that 640 million girls and women alive today were married in childhood. Child marriage refers to the formal or informal union between a child and an adult or other child. Although it disproportionately affects girls because it is both a symptom and a result of deeply rooted gender inequalities, boys can also be affected. Of the approximately 300,000 children who got married in the United States between 2000 and 2018, the broad majority were young girls who got wed to adult men, a profound manifestation of gender inequality. Regardless of the circumstances, child marriage is a severe violation of human rights, since no child is able to provide free and informed consent to a marriage and the expectations related to it. These children get stripped of any bodily autonomy they are supposed to own.

Child brides are often expected to become homemakers, taking on responsibilities such as cooking, cleaning, and childbearing before they are physically or emotionally ready. In many cases, they are not even legally able to consent to sexual activity. The impact on a child’s body and mind can be devastating, with early pregnancy and childbirth posing serious health risks and remaining a leading cause of death among adolescent girls in communities where child marriage is prevalent.

For a child, marriage often means being taken from their family and forced to leave school. This can lead to social isolation, limit their chance of gaining financial independence, and have long-lasting effects on their development and overall quality of life. 

These disadvantages can be passed on to their own children, perpetuating this cycle of abuse and poverty. Furthermore, the girls are not just financially but also physically, psychologically, and legally fully dependent on their significantly older husbands and their families, putting them at a high risk of domestic and sexual violence. Despite these risks, child marriage remains legal in 33 states of the U.S., creating a loophole that can allow adults to avoid prosecution for statutory rape in certain circumstances.  

About 12 million girls get married before the age of 18 each year, meaning 23 girls get married every minute. India alone is contributing to one-third of child brides in the world.

Nevertheless, there is no need to leave Europe to look into the eyes of child brides. 

Although marriage under the age of 18 has been forbidden in Macedonia since the enactment of the Family Act of 1992, child marriage continues to occur. In 2019, 8% of the now 20 to 24-year-old women got unofficially wed under the age of 18. Local NGOs estimate that the actual prevalence could be up to three times higher because many such marriages go unregistered, particularly among the Romani community. 

Although the numbers have declined in recent years, the number is still not zero. This makes the work of organisations such as the Daycare Centre for street children in Shuto Orizari, led by its president Irena Velkoska, still necessary and highly relevant. Irena explains that the organisation focuses on identifying and addressing the root causes of child marriage. One of them is poverty. To tackle it, they support children in their education and later help them find employment, giving them the opportunity to become financially independent and make their own decisions about marriage. This can help shift the perception of marriage from a transaction to a decision based on love and personal choice. Once they helped a girl find a job, but the family and neighbourhood pressured her into marriage for the family honour, showing another problem when trying to prevent child marriage: social norms, expectations, and perceptions. 

These norms continue to enable child marriage by making it appear normal or acceptable. The idea that a grown man can request a girl in exchange for money is rooted in patriarchal beliefs that view girls and women as property or as a financial burden because they are not expected to earn money to support their families. One 12-year-old girl was married off after her father’s gambling losses pushed the family into severe poverty. Another 14-year-old girl told the Centre that she was expected to marry a man in his 40s because he had agreed to pay off her family’s debts. This could have been prevented and is an example of why it is necessary to educate the children about their rights, but also raise awareness with the parents in the community. 

Another challenge is the lack of proper documentation. Many children do not have the necessary official documents, and some do not even have birth certificates. A birth certificate provides important proof of a child’s age and can also be essential for accessing healthcare, social welfare, and education. Without proper documentation, children can become even more vulnerable and have greater difficulty accessing the services and protections they are entitled to.

Even though it may not seem like it, everyone can play a role in preventing child marriage. One of its deepest root causes is gender inequality. Challenging the patriarchal structures and beliefs that portray girls as inferior to boys is therefore essential. This can start with something as seemingly small as speaking out against degrading jokes about girls, particularly Roma girls, and challenging discrimination in our everyday lives. Speaking up helps raise awareness within our communities and challenge harmful stereotypes. You can also take more direct action by supporting youth and women’s organisations that work with children and families at risk of child marriage. 

Child marriage is not a distant problem. It is a global issue that affects children across countries, cultures, and religions, and it must be addressed and challenged everywhere. It is the result of a toxic mixture of social and economic inequalities, rooted in gender inequality. No child should be forced to step into the role of an adult, leave their family behind, just to become a slave for the highest bidder and their family. 

Nelli Winzer

Sources:

Is an End to Child Marriage within Reach? | UNICEF DATA

Child Marriage in the United States | Equality Now 

About child marriage | Girls Not Brides 

North Macedonia (MKD) – Demographics, Health & Infant Mortality | UNICEF DATA