Child marriage is a global problem affecting millions of girls across the world. It is considered a human rights violation because it deprives those involved of education and health services, the chance to learn skills and develop their personalities and leaves them vulnerable. It is an appalling violation of human rights and robs girls of their education, health and long-term prospects,” says Babatunde Osotimehin, M.D, Executive Director, UNFPA. Despite the physical damage and the persistent discrimination to young girls, little progress has been made toward ending the practice of child marriage. This is commonly caused by increasing levels of poverty, low levels of education backed by cultural and traditional beliefs of securing the lives of girls in marriage. In fact, the problem threatens to increase with the expanding youth population in developing world.

Country Reports 2014 notes that the

Marriage of underage girls by parental arrangement was common, particularly in rural areas. Local NGOs and the police Family and Children Unit reported some parents arranged such marriages or sexual arrangements for girls as young as 12 due to poverty. According to the UNFPA, the prevalence rate for early and forced marriage was approximately 46 percent for girls who were 15 and older. According to the 2013 African Human Social Development Report, thousands of minors were lured or forced into early marriages. (US 25 June 2015, 32)

According to the Daily Monitor, "many forced marriages are initiated by parents as a way of acquiring wealth in [the] form of bride price given in exchange for their underage daughters" (10 Aug. 2015). The Associate Professor explained that "there is a tradition of bride price among many Ugandan cultures, including the Baganda. The more educated a woman is, the more this bride price is symbolic" (Associate Professor 15 Oct. 2015). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

Sources report the following instances of underage marriages, including:

1. In March 2012, 20 primary school students in Kabarole district were married off in a period of 3 months (Joy for Children n.d.b);
2. In August 2013, a resident of Namugongo was accused of marrying an underage student after paying 50,000 shillings (US$18.00) to her mother as a bride price (US 25 June 2015, 33);
3. In March 2014, a police probe into child marriages in eastern Teso Region indicated that girls were sold to suitors for as little as 50,000 shillings (ibid., 32);
4. On 15 March 2014, police arrested 9 individuals in Butaleja District for attempting to marry a 12 year-old girl to a 45 year-old man (ibid., 33);
5. In August 2014, the Daily Monitor reported that a 14 year-old girl was beaten by her parents for refusing to get married to a 78 year-old man in the Moroto district (The Daily Monitor 4 Aug. 2015).

We demand the support of Yoweri Musevini and UNICEF Uganda to end forced marriages in Uganda.

Sources:

• https://www.refworld.org/docid/577b73384.html
• Joy for Children, Uganda