16:41 Gulf News: Giving girls an education is the most important investment that can be made to fight world poverty.
16:43 Simran Vedvyas: As a youth ambassador for World at Schools, I strongly agree that it is important to educate girl children and expose them to the power of knowledge, rather than committing them to a marriage and a domestic life, which is unnecessary at that age.
16:44 Jayanthi Thiyagarajan: I agree because education gives knowledge, and in turn a wider perspective, which will help the child in her future life.
16:45 Yusra M. Farzan: Education empowers girls with skills, which they can use to become independent, rather than looking at marriage as the ‘only resort’ for a future. Further, it opens their eyes to the finer nuances of the workings of the world so that they better understand why marriage is best delayed to an age where they are more mature.
16:45 Leah Thomas: Education provides women an increased opportunity in the labour market, which in turn leads to a higher income for them. Increased productivity and higher incomes raise consumption, investment and saving rates, which assist with the overall status of the family and also improves women’s control over decision making in the household.
16: 46 Jayanthi Thiyagarajan: Education is an important aspect in life, and without it, nothing is possible in today’s society.
16:46 Myrna Thabet: I agree because girls make up a high rate in all societies, and to invest in educating them is investing in improving society as a whole.
16:49 Leah Thomas: Education is definitely linked to poverty. An educated nation will strive to bring its population out of poverty and open up new avenues to bring up its overall development. This will invariably and slowly lead to the eradication of poverty.
16:50 Simran Vedvyas: Education is indeed connected with poverty, as without education, poverty cannot be eradicated and the power of knowledge can shape a better and more economically stable society for the future.
16:52 Yusra M Farzan: Education fosters development, so yes; I do agree that education is linked with poverty. An educated population will help pull a nation out of poverty; however, by this I don’t mean just the one that we receive from school but also soft skills and a wider understanding of the interconnected world we live in.
16:53 Gulf News: Education is a fundamental solution to the problem as girls who are educated marry later.
16:55 Myrna Thabet: Girls who are educated do marry later, but that is due to many other factors. In societies where child marriages are common, the girls are forced to discontinue education, thus, not being able to get enough education.
16:56 Leah Thomas: I agree with this as one of the gravest injustices suffered by child brides is the denial of education. Marriage and premature pregnancies keep millions of girls out of school, imprisoned in a world of diminished opportunity. Once married or pregnant, few child brides make it back into school. However, those who are educated understand its importance and hence, postpone their marriages.
16:58 Jayanthi Thiyagarajan: If they cannot afford to buy food, how will they afford going to school?
16:58 Yusra M Farzan: A girl who is educated can take more informed decisions about her life partner, whereas child brides have their formal education cut short and are forced into unions for economic or social reasons.
16:58 Simran Vedvyas: Women who are educated, do marry later on, however, they do so only after supporting their families and securing their futures. It is not a problem, rather an added bonus.
17:03 Myrna Thabet: To clarify my point, the decision was never for the girls to take. The amount of education she receives, will not change the surroundings that lead to the marriage. The focus should be directed to increasing parents awareness, and establishing and implementing laws.
17:04 Leah Thomas: Early marriages are curbing human potential and reinforcing the gender inequalities that the world is trying to fight against, thus reinforces the subordination of a woman in a society, which already looks down upon them. Educated women are aware of their rights and will ensure better generations to come. Women’s literacy plays a pivotal role in empowering women’s participation in the decision-making process in a society and improving the wellbeing of the family.
17:05 Jayanthi Thiyagarajan: Giving education to a girl child is important because if girls are educated, they will provide proper guidance to the country, economically and physically.
17:05 Yusra M Farzan: Adding to what Myrna said, even though the extent of her education will not change her surroundings, it will help her make more informed decisions about marriage and stand up to societal pressure.
17:05 Simran Vedvyas: An educated woman will not only stand up for her rights, but also for other people’s rights as well. That is why organisations such as the UN Women have tried to encourage the empowerment of women by stressing the importance of education. The education provided to girls will be vital in shaping their successful futures.
17:07 Leah Thomas: Educated women are politically active and better informed about the various legal rights that are available to them and how to exercise them.
17:08 Gulf News: Leadership, persistence and global cooperation is vital to save the girls from becoming child brides.
17:11 Leah Thomas: Without adequate leadership, there’s no possibility of bringing change. Various governments across the world must establish strict laws regarding the age of marriage and at the same time, various campaigns that reach out to the masses involved in child marriage are required to spread awareness regarding the hazards of an early marriage.
17:11 Yusra M. Farzan: Educating a girl child is not the complete solution to the problem. Changing mind-sets requires much more. Global cooperation and persistence may influence the changes in legal systems, however, there is no saying that this will be enforced in rural poverty stricken areas where most live under the formal system. Programs have to be taken to these areas where parents, communities and tribal leaders are educated to understand the empowerment of women and the enormous benefits it will have on their communities.
17:13 Myrna Thabet: While education is important, it cannot solve the problem alone. Instead, raising awareness on child marriage and the harm that it has on girls, along with the establishment and implementation of laws that prohibit child marriage should be the focus in terms of ending child marriage.
17:14 Simran Vedvyas: Yes, leadership, persistence and global cooperation is vital to save the girls from becoming brides because all governments and heads can formulate policy decisions and get them implemented to support the cause as a fundamental need.
17:14 Yusra M. Farzan: Most child marriages happen because many a times, poverty stricken parents see no way out except for marrying their daughter for money. This needs to be changed by providing better avenues to bring people out of the poverty they live in.
17:18 Myrna Thabet: Child marriages also happen because of the idea that if a girl won’t marry, then she will bring shame to the family. It is not only related to money and poverty, it has to do with some people’s ideas of honour.
17:18 Yusra M. Farzan: Agreed, and in most cases, child marriages happen because of cultural and societal norms where religion is misinterpreted and tribal leaders coin their own terms.
17:22 Leah Thomas: One of the solutions to this would be if countries could make an effort to improve national registers and make it mandatory to register marriages to improve the monitoring of the number of girls who get married and strengthen the protection of child brides. Though child marriage is widely recognised as a violation of children’s rights; tradition, religion and poverty continue to fuel the practise.
17:23 Myrna Thabet: As a Yemeni, I witnessed many cases of child marriages and attended weddings where the brides, although educated, were roughly 15 years old. Education is important, but in the case of child marriage, it is not the sole solution.
17:25 Simran Vedvyas: I would say that the right to education and women empowerment will find a solution by educating girls to change the world.
Facebook comments:
It’s very interesting to me how no one seems to see a problem with 14 year-olds getting pregnant but a 17-year-old getting married is a problem? I’m not advocating for youth marriage, but when the West jumps up and down about it, it’s a clear double standard to what is rampant in their own societies.
From Ms Hediah Kadous
UAE
It is better to be a teenage bride than to be a teenage unmarried mother as it mostly happens in the West.
From Mr Erum Khurram
UAE
The media is so worried about child brides but not bothered about teenagers becoming single mothers. Well, that might not be a immoral, but being modern and social while getting married before turning 18 is too radical and cruel? I am not a champion for child marriage, but are we really addressing the right issue here?
From Shab D.R
UAE
- Compiled by Donia Jenabzadeh/Community Web Editor