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http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=7107&edition=2&ttl=20091019143410
How young is too young to marry?
Girls in some communities in South Africa and Kenya are getting married below the legal age. What age do you think should be the limit? Or does it just depend on the situation?
Families who cannot afford formal education believe that by marrying off their children they are protecting them from a life of poverty.
But a recent Unicef report says child marriage is tantamount to child abuse and compromises a child's development.
How young is too young to be married? Is it sometimes necessary to marry young? How old were you when you got married? Do you wish it had been different? Or are you happy to have married young? What age do you want your children to marry, and why?
If you would like to join Africa Have Your Say to debate this topic LIVE on air on Wednesday 14 October at 1600 GMT, please include a telephone number. It will not be published. You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com/africahys or follow us on Twitter @bbcafricahys. You can also send an SMS text message to +44 77 86 20 20 08.
Published: Monday, 12 October, 2009, 11:38 GMT 12:38 UK
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Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 17:11 GMT 18:11 UK
Have any of these people commenting actually HAD A BABY and then raised it? Its physically the most exhausting job you can do. Marriage= Babies. You should only get married when you are physically and mentally capable of producing & raising and providing for babies. A child cannot properly raise a child.... Cycles of abuse and neglect..........Shame upon a society and a government that allows this.
sarah, Luton
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Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 16:39 GMT 17:39 UK
Thirty should be the minimum age. And the commitment should be a life time commitment. No Divorce allowed. and no more babies out side of marriage Children should have two parents this works better
[soldierret], Jackson, United States
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Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 16:35 GMT 17:35 UK
MARRIAGE IS NOT A CHILDS PLAY. THERE IS A LOT INVOLVED IN MARRIAGE. 21YRS AND ABOVE SHOULD BE THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIAGE
JONATHAN LEIGH, FREETOWN
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Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 16:25 GMT 17:25 UK
Should only marry when physically & mentally mature to understand emotions and old enough to say NO!
18. Love is patient.
lifes algebra, Stafford, United Kingdom
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Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 16:10 GMT 17:10 UK
I am a sierra Leonean, I believe that a girl should get married at the age of 18years after going throught her formal education.But in my country in the villages and in the City families who cannot afford to sent their children to school, they ended up persuading them to get married because they dont want them to get pregnant out of married and they also believe that by marrying off their children she will be well protected by the husband from living a miserable life of porverty.
Maria A. kamara, Freetown
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Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 16:02 GMT 17:02 UK
How can we in the west comment on the traditions and culture of people in Africa, for one thing I would have thought in some places life expectancy has a part to play. Perhaps they need to marry young in order to have a chance to survive a generation if say 45 is their life expectancy surely they need to get on with it.
In Britain no doubt a long time ago it was the same situation so how can we be judgemental and tell these people how they should live.
Andy T, Devon, United Kingdom
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Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 16:01 GMT 17:01 UK
In many cases, I would think that 110 would be too young! Quantity of offspring is no substitute for quality!
Devil Incarnate, Cyprus
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Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 15:59 GMT 16:59 UK
'I think people should only get married when they are in a position to provide for themselves and their families. Any age below 16 is tantamount to child abuse and compromises a child's development...... Education is the key'.
July Tongogara
July, You are so right on this. The trouble is that the governments involved have nothing to gain by changing this sad situation.
I want my country back NOW, Spalding,, United Kingdom
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Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 15:42 GMT 16:42 UK
Those old enough to understand the meaning of "I do" are old enough to marry.
[pontiac1], Little Neck, United States
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Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 15:38 GMT 16:38 UK
[Naturally a woman can get pregnant and give birth the moment she begins puberty. Therefore Nature tells us that she is capable of being a mother... Imram, Birmingham]
Not so - the fact that a 9-yr old is menstruating does NOT mean that she is able to carry a baby to term! Apart from the fact that any 'man' impregnating a child of 9 deserves to be locked up for the rest of his life, but I digress. Passing puberty does NOT mean you are capable of being a mother!
Annia Valainistima, United Kingdom
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Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 15:37 GMT 16:37 UK
Nobody should be forced to marry at an age where they are too young or too immature to be able to make a reasonable judgement on what is right for them.I don't know what age is the right age. Iknow people who could probably make that judgement at 14 yet I know of others who cannot make any sensible decisions and they are over 30. So, if any age is set at which society judges it to be "right", it will be right for some but not for others. Maybe a magistrate or judge should decide......
Brontus Horace
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Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 15:11 GMT 16:11 UK
It's not just the ability to conceive or to carry the weight of a baby but also the girl's maturity to decide by herself. Marriage before 18 is exploitation and shame on those parents.
Artur de Freitas, Johannesburg - South Africa
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Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 15:09 GMT 16:09 UK
Many African and Asian women are viewed as being capable of being marriagable age when they are capable of bearing children ie 10-14 years old.
The men they marry are paedophiles but view it as their human rights to abuse these girls.
18+ is the age for marriage but the dark age fanatics do not have the respect for their girls to allow them to mature first.
[ATrueblueOne]
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Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 15:07 GMT 16:07 UK
There are loads of ways to look at this topic. Are we looking at marriage between (for example) a middle aged adult and a minor or two minors?
Frankly i think that it should be aloud between minors.
I have already found the man im going to marry and im underage. But then the rate of divorces would sky rocket.
Katy, london
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Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 15:03 GMT 16:03 UK
What is happening in those countries it's crime.
World Human Rights must act really fast because we have to protect childrens.
A girl may get married at age of 18 at least because in that age there are more mature for certain things and maybe finishing some school.
Please please please, brothers in South Africa i respect that you may traditions over there but come on wake up people this is new millenium or 21st century such kind of things won't be tolereted.
Thanks
Quim, Luanda - Angola
How young is too young to marry?
Girls in some communities in South Africa and Kenya are getting married below the legal age. What age do you think should be the limit? Or does it just depend on the situation?
Families who cannot afford formal education believe that by marrying off their children they are protecting them from a life of poverty.
But a recent Unicef report says child marriage is tantamount to child abuse and compromises a child's development.
How young is too young to be married? Is it sometimes necessary to marry young? How old were you when you got married? Do you wish it had been different? Or are you happy to have married young? What age do you want your children to marry, and why?
If you would like to join Africa Have Your Say to debate this topic LIVE on air on Wednesday 14 October at 1600 GMT, please include a telephone number. It will not be published. You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com/africahys or follow us on Twitter @bbcafricahys. You can also send an SMS text message to +44 77 86 20 20 08.
Published: Monday, 12 October, 2009, 11:38 GMT 12:38 UK
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 17:11 GMT 18:11 UK
Have any of these people commenting actually HAD A BABY and then raised it? Its physically the most exhausting job you can do. Marriage= Babies. You should only get married when you are physically and mentally capable of producing & raising and providing for babies. A child cannot properly raise a child.... Cycles of abuse and neglect..........Shame upon a society and a government that allows this.
sarah, Luton
Recommended by 0 people
Alert a Moderator
Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 16:39 GMT 17:39 UK
Thirty should be the minimum age. And the commitment should be a life time commitment. No Divorce allowed. and no more babies out side of marriage Children should have two parents this works better
[soldierret], Jackson, United States
Recommended by 0 people
Alert a Moderator
Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 16:35 GMT 17:35 UK
MARRIAGE IS NOT A CHILDS PLAY. THERE IS A LOT INVOLVED IN MARRIAGE. 21YRS AND ABOVE SHOULD BE THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIAGE
JONATHAN LEIGH, FREETOWN
Recommended by 0 people
Alert a Moderator
Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 16:25 GMT 17:25 UK
Should only marry when physically & mentally mature to understand emotions and old enough to say NO!
18. Love is patient.
lifes algebra, Stafford, United Kingdom
Recommended by 0 people
Alert a Moderator
Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 16:10 GMT 17:10 UK
I am a sierra Leonean, I believe that a girl should get married at the age of 18years after going throught her formal education.But in my country in the villages and in the City families who cannot afford to sent their children to school, they ended up persuading them to get married because they dont want them to get pregnant out of married and they also believe that by marrying off their children she will be well protected by the husband from living a miserable life of porverty.
Maria A. kamara, Freetown
Recommended by 0 people
Alert a Moderator
Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 16:02 GMT 17:02 UK
How can we in the west comment on the traditions and culture of people in Africa, for one thing I would have thought in some places life expectancy has a part to play. Perhaps they need to marry young in order to have a chance to survive a generation if say 45 is their life expectancy surely they need to get on with it.
In Britain no doubt a long time ago it was the same situation so how can we be judgemental and tell these people how they should live.
Andy T, Devon, United Kingdom
Recommended by 0 people
Alert a Moderator
Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 16:01 GMT 17:01 UK
In many cases, I would think that 110 would be too young! Quantity of offspring is no substitute for quality!
Devil Incarnate, Cyprus
Recommended by 0 people
Alert a Moderator
Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 15:59 GMT 16:59 UK
'I think people should only get married when they are in a position to provide for themselves and their families. Any age below 16 is tantamount to child abuse and compromises a child's development...... Education is the key'.
July Tongogara
July, You are so right on this. The trouble is that the governments involved have nothing to gain by changing this sad situation.
I want my country back NOW, Spalding,, United Kingdom
Recommended by 0 people
Alert a Moderator
Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 15:42 GMT 16:42 UK
Those old enough to understand the meaning of "I do" are old enough to marry.
[pontiac1], Little Neck, United States
Recommended by 0 people
Alert a Moderator
Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 15:38 GMT 16:38 UK
[Naturally a woman can get pregnant and give birth the moment she begins puberty. Therefore Nature tells us that she is capable of being a mother... Imram, Birmingham]
Not so - the fact that a 9-yr old is menstruating does NOT mean that she is able to carry a baby to term! Apart from the fact that any 'man' impregnating a child of 9 deserves to be locked up for the rest of his life, but I digress. Passing puberty does NOT mean you are capable of being a mother!
Annia Valainistima, United Kingdom
Recommended by 0 people
Alert a Moderator
Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 15:37 GMT 16:37 UK
Nobody should be forced to marry at an age where they are too young or too immature to be able to make a reasonable judgement on what is right for them.I don't know what age is the right age. Iknow people who could probably make that judgement at 14 yet I know of others who cannot make any sensible decisions and they are over 30. So, if any age is set at which society judges it to be "right", it will be right for some but not for others. Maybe a magistrate or judge should decide......
Brontus Horace
Recommended by 0 people
Alert a Moderator
Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 15:11 GMT 16:11 UK
It's not just the ability to conceive or to carry the weight of a baby but also the girl's maturity to decide by herself. Marriage before 18 is exploitation and shame on those parents.
Artur de Freitas, Johannesburg - South Africa
Recommended by 0 people
Alert a Moderator
Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 15:09 GMT 16:09 UK
Many African and Asian women are viewed as being capable of being marriagable age when they are capable of bearing children ie 10-14 years old.
The men they marry are paedophiles but view it as their human rights to abuse these girls.
18+ is the age for marriage but the dark age fanatics do not have the respect for their girls to allow them to mature first.
[ATrueblueOne]
Recommended by 0 people
Alert a Moderator
Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 15:07 GMT 16:07 UK
There are loads of ways to look at this topic. Are we looking at marriage between (for example) a middle aged adult and a minor or two minors?
Frankly i think that it should be aloud between minors.
I have already found the man im going to marry and im underage. But then the rate of divorces would sky rocket.
Katy, london
Recommended by 0 people
Alert a Moderator
Added: Wednesday, 14 October, 2009, 15:03 GMT 16:03 UK
What is happening in those countries it's crime.
World Human Rights must act really fast because we have to protect childrens.
A girl may get married at age of 18 at least because in that age there are more mature for certain things and maybe finishing some school.
Please please please, brothers in South Africa i respect that you may traditions over there but come on wake up people this is new millenium or 21st century such kind of things won't be tolereted.
Thanks
Quim, Luanda - Angola
