URDU: صغرسنی کی شادی: اسلامی تعلیمات کی روشنی میں ایک تحقیقی جائزہ

Child Marriage: A Research Review in the Light of Islamic Teachings

Abstract

Child marriage is a marriage or similar union, formal or informal, between a child under a certain age - typically age 18 - and an adult or another child. The vast majority of child marriages are between a girl and a man or older boy, and are rooted in gender inequality. Although the age of majority (legal adulthood) and marriageable age are usually designated at age 18, both vary across countries and therefore the marriageable age may be older or younger in a given country. Even where the age is set at 18 years, cultural traditions may override legislation and many jurisdictions permit earlier marriage with parental consent or in special circumstances, such as teenage pregnancy. Child marriage violates the rights of children and has widespread with long-term consequences for child brides and child grooms. Child marriages have been common throughout history and continue to be fairly widespread, particularly in developing countries such as parts of Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, West Asia, Latin America and Oceania. However, even in developed countries, legal exceptions still allow child marriage. The incidence of child marriage has been falling in most parts of the world.