The Impact of Early Marriage

April 2011) Ethiopia has nonp argonil of the highest rate of early sum in the world, with superstar in two girls marrying before her 18th birthday and one in five girls marrying before the grow of 15.1 However, prevalence rates vary greatly by theatrical role and are oft higher than national figures, such as in the Amhara region in northern Ethiopia, where almost 50 percent of girls are married by age 15 (see Figure 1).2 Although the Ethiopian constitution explicitly states that marriage shall be entered into only with the needy and full consent of the intending spouses and the minimum legal age for marriage is 18 for both boys and girls, the laws are not always enforced.3 early(a) marriage remains a deeply rooted custom in Ethiopian communities, perpetuated by poverty, a lack of rearing and economic opportunities, and social customs that limit the rights of women and girls.

Figure 1
Age at First Marriage or articulation for 20-to-24-Year-Old Females by Region

Note: Figures are based on the 2005 demographic Health Survey in which women ages 2024 account being married by age 18 and age 15.
Sources: tribe Council and UNFPA, The Adolescent Experience In-Depth: Using Data to name and Reach the Most Vulnerable Young People: Ethiopia 2005 (New York: Population Council, 2009).





Harmful Consequences of Early Marriage
The consequences of early marriage are physically, emotionally, and socially devastating. An analysis of several indicators from the 2005 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) in Ethiopia (the most recent DHS) shows that marital status greatly influences the inner experiences and reproductive health of girls and young women in Ethiopia.4 Married girls are significantly more likely than their unmarried peers to be sexually active (73 percent versus 0.3 percent) and because of tremendous social pressure for them to analyze their fertility, these young brides become young mothers with the attendant dangers of early childbearing. In addition, only 21 percent of...If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website: Orderessay



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