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Showing posts from July 15, 2016

Child marriage around the world: TANZANIA

High Court judgment in Tanzania rules age of marriage laws discriminatory and unconstitutional  13th Jul 2016. (Photo: Girls Not Brides) Tanzania has one of the highest child marriage prevalence rates in the world. Almost two out of five girls in Tanzania are married before their 18th birthday. Due to inaccurate birth and marriage records, it is difficult to record exact figures of child marriage in Tanzania. Yet child marriage is particularly prevalent in rural areas where children get married as early as 11 years old. DRIVERS Some girls are forced to get married young to generate an income, or mahari (dowry), which can then be used by their brothers to secure a wife. There is also a practice known as Nyumba ntobu which involves an older, wealthier woman paying a bride price for a young girl to become her wife. A man is then chosen to impregnate the girl and any children who are born belong to the older woman. Human Rights Watch has highlighte...