Syrian refugees’ suffering worsened by drama of child brides
Amman (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Poverty and fear of
sexual violence have doubled the number of young girls being given in marriage
among the estimated 600 thousand Syrian refugees in Jordan. A report by Save the
Children denounces the phenomenon stating that before the start of the civil
war marriages of girls were 13% of all marriages, but that this number "has
doubled since the beginning of the conflict."
The report states that 48% of girls are forced to marry men at least 10 years older
than them. And "the girls who marry before age 18 are more likely to suffer
domestic violence than their peers who marry later" and "are at
extreme risk if and when they become pregnant." This is because the
consequences of "being involved in sexual activity while their bodies are
still developing are devastating: girls under 15 are five times more likely to
die in childbirth than adult women".
The data of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) show that among Syrian refugees in
Jordan, the rate of marriages of girls has increased from 18 percent of all
marriages in 2012 to 25 percent in 2013 and jumped to 32 percent in the first
quarter of 2014. UNICEF also highlights the fact that the child brides "also
have more limited economic opportunities, as they lose out in schooling and may
be the victims of a vicious cycle of poverty."
"As refugees - states the Save The Children report - Syrian families are reliant on
dwindling resources and lacking economic opportunities. At the same time, they
are all too aware of the need to protect their daughters from the threat of
sexual violence," it said. "Given these pressures, some families
consider child marriage to be the best way to protect their female children and
ease family resources."
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22/09/2022 18:52
26/11/2018 09:01
