"Child marriage is not determined by any particular religion. It happens across countries, cultures, ethnicities and religions. And both very high and very low rates of child marriage can are found in the same religious community across different contexts. With almost 80% of the world population professing a religious belief, religious leaders have the potential to help end century-old practices such as child marriage."
Victim of child marriage in United States:
"We got married that night after church," she remembered. "Nobody said anything. I knew I was a child. I knew I was 11. I knew he was 20. So I knew something was wrong then. And I was really totally surprised that they allowed it to happen."
Parents of victims:
"Ms. Johnson was raped at a very young age by her deacon at her church. And when it was found out that she was pregnant, her parents, her parents did the unthinkable they forced her to marry the man who impregnated her as a child."
Lawmakers against ending child marriage:
"Obviously, I'm against child marriage," the GOP lawmaker told NBC News. "But basically marriage is a contract between people that shouldn't require government permission." - Bryan Zollinger
Reasons why it's important to understand all perspectives:
“Some mothers say that if you know your daughter is in a relationship, you might as well get her married because you don’t want the kind of shame that is going to bring,”. "Sharma learned that the parents’ decisions come down partly to economics. Poor families often don’t have the resources to pay the higher dowry required if their daughters marry at an older age. Parents also say that in some cases they don’t want their daughters to get jobs because that is a sign of destitution, suggesting that her husband cannot support her."
When engaging with other communities outside of the US, it's important to understand that religious and political leaders have much different perspectives. When I was researching this topic I found a very informative website about how to approach such a sensitive topic, especially one that has been ongoing for centuries. ( https://www.girlsnotbrides.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/PO48499-Girls-Not-Brides-Religious-Leaders-v3-Eng-lr.pdfApplying ). Learning and understanding the historical backgrounds of their culture and religion/religious texts, understanding their cultural norms, and understanding how to avoid attacking their personal beliefs are the main things to keep in mind when addressing those issues. Those same principles can prepare us to deal with legislators within our own country.
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