Girls in Northern Nigeria are becoming child brides at
shockingly young ages. Instead of being able to go to school to pursue their
dreams, they are getting married and having children while still children themselves.
One girl Yalwa, who is only thirteen, is already married and pregnant but her
deepest wish is to be able to attend school to be a doctor or a midwife. She came
from a family with multiple siblings and thought getting married would enable
her to be able to go to school. She believed her husband, who is in his
thirties would help her fulfill her academic desires because there would be
less people that would need to be fed. Yalwa soon came to the realization that
her wishes wouldn’t be fulfilled and that she would have to quickly give up
that dream.
This seems to be a common theme in Nigeria among girls. Because
educational values are placed more with boys, girls are left to become wives
instead of striving to reach their own potential and maturity. At such a young
age girls have to not only face the struggles and challenges that come along
with pregnancy but they also have to take on the role of a wife which
psychologically they are not prepared for. If girls are not married many are
selling goods on the street leaving them unprotected and vulnerable to harassment.
Hopefully this cycle of babies having babies will be
corrected and children will be allowed to be children and mature when the time
is appropriate. It is so important for these girls to receive proper education
so that they will be able to rise above poverty. They can marry when the time
is right instead of marrying because of the financial hardships that are occurring
in the homes of their parents.
http://www.voanews.com/content/in-nigeria-child-brides-child-workers-denied-education/1620831.html
Ashley Lumsden
3/22/13 10:24 AM
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