THE IMPACT OF OF EARLY MARRIAGE GIRL-CHILD SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

THE IMPACT OF OF EARLY MARRIAGE GIRL-CHILD SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

CHAPITER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 THE STUDY’S BACKGROUND

The oldest institution in the world is marriage, which was created in the Garden of Eden by God. No man had the intention of getting married. God Almighty had the original idea. God created marriage because He saw its necessity: “And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone, I will make him a help meet for him” (Genesis 2:18). With the description given above, marriage may also be defined as the uniting of a man and a woman to form husband and wife.

Many ethnic groups around the world, including those in Nigeria, regularly practice early marriage. It has, nevertheless, contributed to a number of unfavorable effects on young girls and the community in which they live. It is a violation of everyone’s rights, but especially the rights of girls. Every community and culture has a set of fundamental values and beliefs that serve as a guide for its members. For instance, early girl marriage was permitted in Nigeria, notably in the Hausa-dominated Northern Nigeria. According to Erulkar and Bello (2007), the Northern area accepts early weddings in order to uphold the value of virginity, allay concerns about marital sexual activity, curb girl-child promiscuity, and adhere to other socio-cultural and religious standards. But because of their ignorance and self-centeredness, they frequently overlook the impact it has on the growth of their community and the girl-child. The girl child’s inability to reject the offer raises concerns. The effects of early marriage on girl children include lack of education, lack of economic empowerment, and lack of knowledge about reproductive health services, all of which will hinder their ability to make informed decisions, improve their ability to use resources, and take part in local decision-making.

Importantly, among the causes commonly cited for young female marriage include poverty, unintended pregnancies, peer pressure, parental pressure, and developmental stage. This practice contravenes UNICEF’s recommendations on children’s rights, which include the right to freely and fully consent to marriage as guaranteed by the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), as well as the rights to education, empowerment, and control over one’s own health. Most societies, including Nigeria, have domesticated these international agreements and passed laws to further strengthen children’s rights. The Acts’ implementation in the majority of Northern states, however, has been contentious because some of those states also follow Islamic law, which has a softer stance on early marriage by downplaying the importance of age as a determining factor in marriage.

Statement of the problem: 1.2

Marriage is celebrated as a special occasion and an important turning point for adults. Sadly, the practice of early marriage does not provide such a reason for joy. Too frequently, a girl or boy’s childhood is cut short and their fundamental rights are violated when a marriage partner is imposed upon them (UNICEF, 2005). Young girls are deprived of their childhood and forced into roles for which they are not mentally or physically capable. Many people are unable to choose their partner or the time of marriage. Others are too young to make an informed choice, while some are forced into marriage. They are denied the chance to grow personally and lose their rights to complete reproductive health and well-being, education, and civic involvement due to premature marriage.

Despite all the awareness-raising efforts, campaigns, and official and informal education, the number of early marriages has recently increased in Nigeria. It has, nevertheless, contributed to a number of unfavorable effects on young girls and the community in which they live. It is a violation of everyone’s rights, but especially the rights of girls. Early marriage has significant negative physical, intellectual, psychological, and emotional effects on both girls and boys, stifling prospects for personal development through school and work. Since girls marry young in greater numbers and with more intensity in Northern Nigeria, where the practice is common, girls are more affected. More specifically, it has a detrimental tendency on girls, as evidenced by (Bala, 2003), which includes emotional and mental pain, intolerance, school abandonment, the VVF disease, early widowhood, irritation, and hatred of men. They become unproductive because of their complete reliance on their husbands. Additionally, due of their unremarkable educational backgrounds, the majority of them feel like second-class citizens. They are unable to express themselves in public and are therefore unable to sit where others are. In light of this, the study aims to investigate the effects of early marriage on the socioeconomic and scholastic advancement of girl children in Nigeria.

1.3.1 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This study’s main goal is to investigate the effects of early marriage on the socioeconomic and educational advancement of girl children in Nigeria. The research specifically intends to:

i. To look at the alleged reasons for early marriage in Northern Nigeria.

ii. To ascertain how early marriage affects the growth of a girl’s education.

iii. To determine the impact of early marriage on the socioeconomic development of girls.

iv. To identify potential solutions to Nigeria’s issue of female child marriage before marriage.

Research questions (1.4)

The following query serves as the basis for the research:

What are the alleged reasons for young marriage in Northern Nigeria?

What effects does early marriage have on a girl’s educational development?

What impact does early marriage have on the socioeconomic development of girl children?

iv. What are some potential solutions to the problem of child brides in early marriage in Nigeria?

1.5 THE STUDY’S SIGNIFICANCE

This study is intended to empower parents in Nigeria to provide their kids with equitable opportunity for education. rather than offering the girls in marriage too young. Additionally, it is believed that the study will make it possible for Nigerian legislators at all levels of government to establish legislation that will criminalize early marriage.It is also hoped that the findings of their research may persuade students to avoid or limit early marriage. Empirically, the study will add to the body of knowledge and be used as a resource by academics and students who seek to carry out additional research on relevant subjects.

1.6 ANALYSIS OF THE STUDY

This study’s focus is on the effects of early marriage on the socioeconomic and educational advancement of girl children in Nigeria. The study will determine the reasons behind early marriage in more detail and suggest solutions to the problem of young girl marriage in Nigeria.The study is restricted to a few chosen secondary schools in the Nigerian state of Niger’s Minna Local Government Area.

Limitations of the research

While conducting the study, the researchers ran into some minor obstacles, just as in every human endeavor. The researcher was forced to choose a small sample size that only included secondary schools in Minna Local Government Area in Niger State, Nigeria, due to the paucity of existing literature on the topic as a result of the topic being a new discourse. As a result, the researcher incurred higher costs and spent more time and money searching for the necessary materials, literature, or information. Therefore, conclusions from this study cannot be generalized to other secondary schools in other Nigerian States. Additionally, the researcher’s concurrent involvement in this study and other academic activity will prevent them from giving the research their full attention. Nevertheless, despite the difficulties experienced during the research, every component was minimized in order to deliver the best results and ensure the success of the study.

1.8 TERMINAL DEFINITIONS

The union of a man and a woman to become husband and wife is known as marriage.

Early marriage refers to the union of a boy and a girl with a man before they are 18 years old.

Sexual harassment is any verbal or physical behavior that is of a sexual nature and is imposed on the basis of a person’s sex and which excludes, restricts, or treats someone differently.

Social Environment: Refers to a group of individuals who are able to interact and exhibit some level of vulnerability to the discussed characteristic.

Forced marriages: These marriages are arranged through various forms of coercion, coercion, or fraud, such as emotional pressure from family or community members or even kidnapping and imprisonment.