*‘Normalisation’ of child marriage and violence holding back sub-Saharan
girls’ education, reports ActionAid*
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Parents’ approval of forced, under-age marriages and general acceptance of
domestic violence and corporal punishment are major obstacles to girls in
sub-Saharan Africa completing their primary education, new ActionAid
research has revealed****
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Over 5000 respondents (including children, parents, teachers, traditional
leaders and government authorities) took part in research undertaken in
Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria and Tanzania as part of two girls’
education projects. The research found that up to 86% of girls had
reported some form of violence against them in the past 12 months, that
parents are complicit in under-age marriage and that girls are all too
frequently blamed for the violence they experience.****
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Julie Juma, ActionAid’s Acting Head of Education said: *“Girls in all five
countries complained about how parents and other figures of authority
condoned violence towards them, including physical beating and forced
marriage. Complacency at all levels towards the shockingly high rates of
violence against girls and the forced marriage of children are major
barriers to education and are severely limiting these girls’ opportunities.
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*“Education is one of the best ways for people to lift themselves out of
poverty and every child has the right to basic education. ActionAid is
working with communities to help reverse the ‘normalisation’ of these
harmful practices and we are calling on governments to stamp out forced
child marriage and provide effective protective systems for girls.”*
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The study found that male authority over marriage combined with poverty and
inequality means that many girls marry before the age of 16, frequently
against their will. In Kenya, ‘traditional’ views reduced girls to
chattels and fathers articulated the belief that ‘the girl child is just
for marriage’. In Nigeria, 43% of girls surveyed mentioned early marriage
as the main obstacle to their schooling, and in Tanzania, 53% cited
pregnancy. ****
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Once married, girls are unlikely to return to school due to the weight of
household chores and childcare. Husbands may limit their freedom or
threaten them with violence if they disobey. And once pregnant, many
girls’ hopes for an education come to an end.****
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Julie Juma said: *“After giving birth, young mothers are finding that they
are barred from returning to school as they might ‘give other girls
ideas’. During pregnancy girls are not allowed to attend school. For
example, in Ghana they are discouraged from continuing at school and in
Mozambique they have to attend night classes, often in a different school
altogether.*
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*“Ministries of Education in these countries must put in place re-entry
policies to protect the rights of teenage mothers to education during and
after pregnancy without subjecting them to discrimination or increasing
their vulnerability.”*
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The research, carried out by national researchers in Ghana, Kenya,
Mozambique, Nigeria and Tanzania was co-ordinated by the University of
London’s Institute of Education, in collaboration with anti-poverty charity
ActionAid. ****
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*Notes to editors:*
The ‘Stop Violence Against Girls in School’ project is funded by the Big
Lottery Fund in Ghana, Kenya and Mozambique. ‘Transforming Education for
Girls in Nigeria and Tanzania’ is funded by Comic Relief and the Tubney
Charitable Trust. ****
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*Links to full reports: *
Stop Violence Against Girls in School:
http://www.actionaid.org/publications/cross-country-analysis-baseline-research-kenya-ghana-and-mozambique
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