Title: Combating illegal child marriage: DO Foundation calls for action
Introduction :
Child marriage is a cruel and dangerous practice that violates children’s human rights and exposes them to negative consequences for their health and well-being. Recently, Foundation DO vehemently condemned a case of illegal marriage involving a four-year-old girl in Bayelsa State. In this article, we will examine the details of this shocking incident and the DO Foundation’s call for action against this destructive practice.
The context of the case:
A girl aged just four was forcibly married to a 54-year-old man in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The girl’s parents justified this marriage by claiming that the man was her husband in a previous life. They claim that the girl sought to find her husband who had mysteriously died in this past life, which led to this early and illegal marriage.
The position of the DO Foundation:
The DO Foundation strongly condemned this illegal marriage and described the practice as criminal and contrary to the constitution and the Child Rights Act. According to the Foundation, child marriage is a serious violation of children’s rights and constitutes a criminal activity. The foundation calls for immediate action to end this situation and protect children from sexual exploitation.
The law in force:
The Bayelsa State Child Rights Act, signed into law in 2016, explicitly prohibits child marriage and provides for imprisonment and fines for violators. The DO Foundation recalls the importance of enforcing this law and asks the competent authorities and relevant stakeholders to take appropriate measures to put an end to this illegal marriage.
Call to action:
The DO Foundation urges the Bayelsa State Government, the Gender Response Team and all stakeholders in the gender response system to act quickly and firmly to end this inhumane practice. Additionally, the Foundation is calling on security forces to thoroughly investigate this incident in order to protect the child and bring to justice all those responsible.
Conclusion :
Child marriage is a flagrant violation of children’s rights and must be fought resolutely. The illegal marriage incident in Bayelsa State is shocking evidence of this destructive practice. It is imperative that concrete measures are taken to educate the population, enforce the law and guarantee the protection of children against this form of exploitation. Together, we can end child marriage and give these young people the right to live a healthy and fulfilling childhood.