ABSTRACT
This research work explored the issue of early marriage in Nigeria. It shed light
specifically on reasons behind its perpetuation, its harmful consequences, shows
how it constitutes a barrier to education and enjoyment of human rights by girls
and how it further threatens the development of the country. The findings from
respondents and extensive reading of materials related to early marriage suggest
that early marriage is due to various factors including among others, the search for
economic survival, protection of young girls, peer group and family pressure,
controlling female behavior and sexuality, wars and civil conflicts, socio-cultural
and religious values. It is a violation of girls’ human rights as it deprives her from
freedom, opportunity for personal development, and other rights. It is also a
developmental challenge for population pressure, health care costs and lost
opportunities of human development. It is a barrier to girls’ education as young
girls drop out of school to get married which impacts negatively on the community
as a whole and on the well-being of future generation. This practice stands in
direct conflict with the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs);
such as the promotion of basic education, fight against poverty, the prevention of
HIV/AIDS and reduction of maternal mortality rate in sub Saharan Africa and
Nigeria in particular. To deal with the problem, a number of strategies have been
suggested mainly for providing economic opportunities to young girls, promoting
education of girls and using mass media to increase the awareness of the whole
community about the consequences of early marriage on girls themselves, their
family and on the community as a whole.
, E & AMADIFE, A (2021). Developmental Implications Of Early Marriage In Nigera: A Study Of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area.. Afribary. Retrieved from https://afribary.com/works/developmental-implications-of-early-marriage-in-nigera-a-study-of-uzo-uwani-local-government-area
, EZE and ANTHONY AMADIFE "Developmental Implications Of Early Marriage In Nigera: A Study Of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area." Afribary. Afribary, 05 May. 2021, https://afribary.com/works/developmental-implications-of-early-marriage-in-nigera-a-study-of-uzo-uwani-local-government-area. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.
, EZE, ANTHONY AMADIFE . "Developmental Implications Of Early Marriage In Nigera: A Study Of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area.". Afribary, Afribary, 05 May. 2021. Web. 24 Dec. 2024. < https://afribary.com/works/developmental-implications-of-early-marriage-in-nigera-a-study-of-uzo-uwani-local-government-area >.
, EZE and AMADIFE, ANTHONY . "Developmental Implications Of Early Marriage In Nigera: A Study Of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area." Afribary (2021). Accessed December 24, 2024. https://afribary.com/works/developmental-implications-of-early-marriage-in-nigera-a-study-of-uzo-uwani-local-government-area