Child marriage is one of the problems in Malagasy society. A problem which is rooted in the weight of culture and practices which persist despite the various awareness campaigns tending to warn of their harmful effects.
Data from the third general population census in Madagascar warn of the situation. Of the 452,022 girls aged 12 to 19 who are married, 21,010 are aged between 12 and 14. The same document indicates that the average age at first marriage is 15.9 years for girls while 46% of them are married before the age of 18. All the data confirm Madagascar’s place in the top 20 countries with a high prevalence of early marriage. The harms of this practice are, however, known for their disastrous consequences on the victims. “ The development of a child married too early could be slowed. Child brides face a direct violation of their rights and are at greater risk of violence and exploitation. They are socially isolated and their opportunities for education, employment and development are minimized as they often abandon education to take on adult roles. A girl giving birth prematurely is more likely to have complications or even die during childbirth than an adult woman, and to give birth to a child who is herself weak, malnourished and in poor health. “, we can read in the national strategy to combat child marriage. The latter is also coming to an end (if it has been implemented) given that it should run from 2017 to 2024.
On paper. The objectives of this national strategy are, however, laudable. She aims to “ protect children from union, marriage and early pregnancy “. This, by setting as a goal to achieve “ reduce the prevalence rate of child marriage in Madagascar from 41.2% to 21.2% during the period 2018-2024 “. The country has thus committed to doing many things. Among others: » reduce by 20 points the prevalence of child union/marriage in 7 years; reduce the entry rate of adolescents into reproductive life from 37 to 25% for those under 18 and from 13 to 5% for those under 15, thus reducing the adolescent mortality rate due to early pregnancy; integrate the fight against child marriage among the priorities of policies and strategies, programs and development plans at national, regional and community levels “. With the current situation, we wonder where this strategy is, or rather its implementation?
José Belalahy