Breathe
By Flor Aydeé Rodríguez Campos
Child marriage is a major pending issue in the agenda of the rights of girls around the world, we are about to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 1995 (Beijing+30), which means that the agenda of the rights of girls must show the progress made by all states parties to the United Nations to assess whether or not the goals proposed in these international commitments are met also taking into account the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in specific goal 5.3 which proposes to "eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation". The truth is that child marriages continue to exist in many countries because, it is argued that this practice is part of their "customs and traditions" however we know that child marriage is the result of a deep-rooted gender inequality, which affects girls disproportionately and according to Unicef figures worldwide, the rate of child marriage of boys is equivalent to only one-fifth of that of girls.
This grave violation of girls' rights not only robs them of their childhood but also puts their lives and health at risk, they are at greater risk of domestic violence and are less likely to stay in school, but the problem is made worse because married girls often become pregnant during adolescence and this increases the risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
This practice isolates girls from their families, from their closest circle and limits their participation in public life since they are kept only in domestic and care work. In our country this practice has already been prohibited in the Federal Penal Code in Chapter IX, making Mexico the first country in Latin America to prohibit and criminally punish child marriage. But the fight has continued thanks to Eufrosina Cruz Mendoza, an activist and former indigenous congresswoman who has fought from different trenches for this right of girls to be recognized in the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States, but it is still pending in the legislative agenda. An important piece of information provided by Save the Children in its "Situational analysis of the violence affecting girls and opportunities for renewing public action", is that in the country child marriage has been prohibited since 2020, without exceptions or dispensations, but "informal unions continue and some marriages are carried out through religious rituals".
Colombia has continued the fight, as this November 13, 2024 the Congress has approved a law that prohibits child marriage and forced early unions. Thanks to this new legislation, Colombia joins the global fight against this problem, advancing in the construction of a society in which minors can grow up without pressure and in an environment that respects their rights and potential. This decision is a clear example of how legislation can transform lives and open doors to a more equitable future.
But not everything is progressive although it is a principle of Human Rights, because in the Iraqi parliament is preparing to vote an amendment to the Personal Status Law (Law 188), which was one of the most progressive in the Middle East since its implementation in 1959, this amendment aims to allow the marriage of girls from the age of 9 years and would eliminate fundamental rights for women among which are having custody of their children and the right to divorce. Today, 28% of women in Iraq are married before the age of 18 according to Unicef data, this practice is still carried out thanks to legal loopholes, which is why this amendment seeks to open the door to this violation of children's rights. Activists around the world raise our voices and as long as a girl, woman or adolescent continues to be subjected in the world none of us will be free.
The opinions expressed are the responsibility of the authors and are absolutely independent of the position and editorial line of the company. Opinion 51.
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