As per the United Nations Population Fund, it is estimated that over 140 million girls will have been forced into marriage between the years 2011-2020. This translates into over 140 million girls robbed of the opportunity to live their best possible lives, pursue any life dreams, and fulfill their intended destiny.
So, what does it really mean to be “married” as a child in 2019? Well, it typically equates to a lifetime of psychological distress and health consequences that may even prove deadly. Here is what the available research has revealed in regards to the health problems faced by children forced into marriage:Young girls forced into marriage, are often times victims of both physical and sexual violence.
Human Papilloma virus is a sexually transmitted infection in which some viral strains have the potential to lead to cervical cancer. Married underage girls are likely to be forced into sexual activity at a much younger age and therefore are at a heightened risk of exposure to HPV infections as compared to unmarried girls.