Peer-reviewed article
CHILD MARRIAGE AND HUMAN RIGHTS: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
Muriel Fernandes and Dr. Jayashree Ambewadikar ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This global study examines child marriage before age 18, which affects approximately 650 million children worldwide and is recognized as a violation of fundamental human rights. The research reviews legal frameworks across countries and finds that while more nations have adopted laws prohibiting marriage under 18, significant gaps remain between legal protections and actual practice. The study investigates socio-demographic characteristics of females who marry at 18 and compares their sexual and conceptual well-being outcomes to their unmarried peers.
Key points
- Approximately 650 million children alive today have married before age 18
- Child marriage is globally recognized as a violation of fundamental rights that prevents children from flourishing
- An increasing number of countries have legal systems prohibiting marriage under 18
- There is a significant gap between legal exclusion of child marriage and its actual eradication
- The study examines whether girls who marry at 18 have better outcomes in sexual and conceptual well-being compared to unmarried peers
Limitations
The document does not specify which countries were included in the analysis, making it impossible to assess geographic coverage or generalizability. The abstract lacks methodological details, specific findings, or the operational definitions used for measuring well-being outcomes.
Abstract
Child marriage under 18 is viewed globally as a destructive prejudice detrimental to children’s freedom worldwide. About 650 million children alive today have married before their eighteenth birthday. Child marriage below 18 is considered a violation of fundamental rights globally. This framework is a worldwide inappropriate behaviour that prevents incidents and endless children from flourishing. This research examines data sets globally and sees orientation dissected in general guidelines and regulations for the base time of child marriage. While our data show an elevation in frequencies of countries with legal systems prohibiting marriage under 18, there is a vast gap in legal exclusion and eradicating male-female separation. While the determinants and effects of adolescent marriage among girls have been factual, little investigation exists into girls’ training. This examination utilized the latest information from broadly delegated nations, with the most significant predominance of marriage at 18 among married women at 20-24. This study examines the socio-demographic characteristics of females who marry at 18 and determines if they are significantly better off than their peers in terms of sexual and conceptual well-being.