WUNRN
PREVENTING & ELIMINATING CHILD,
EARLY & FORCED MARRIAGE - UN EXPERT PANEL
Direct Link to Full 6-Page 2014
Report:
See specific text and Concluding
Remarks below.
4. In her opening remarks, the Deputy High
Commissioner for Human Rights stated that child, early and forced marriage
violated human rights and affected girls and women disproportionately. The
origins of this practice were rooted in unequal
gender status and power relations, which resulted in the perpetual subjugation
of girls and women. She highlighted the fact that discriminatory cultural practices
based on stereotypical views of women’s roles and sexuality, as well as poverty
and insecurity, were structural causes. She also pointed out numerous human
rights violations resulting from child, early and forced marriage, including
those relating to employment, education and
other opportunities for girls and young women, as well as exposure to a variety
of forms of violence. Moreover, it was associated with a range of poor health
outcomes, including early and frequent pregnancy and forced continuation of
pregnancy, all of which were closely linked to high rates of death for both
young mothers and their infant children.
12. In their
interventions, States agreed that child, early and forced marriage was
correlated with poverty, including a cycle of poverty for future generations.
It undermined the well-being of women and young girls and was an obstacle to
the enjoyment of other human rights. Speakers expressed concern about the
long-standing and wide-ranging consequences of child, early and forced marriage,
such as violence, and pointed out its impact on health, education and
employment of women and girls. It was necessary to address the root causes of
child, early and forced marriage, such as cultural norms, discrimination
against women and girls, negative stereotypes and gender inequality, which
allowed it to persist.
13. There was
also agreement that child marriage was a serious violation of human rights, a
harmful practice and a barrier to development. The need for comprehensive and
coordinated approaches and leadership to translate States’ commitment into
concrete and sustained actions to end the practice was emphasized.
Non-governmental organizations recalled that, if the international community
was to end child, early and forced marriage in one generation, there was a need
for sustainable programmes, owned and supported by key stakeholders in
communities and countries.
III. Concluding remarks
21. The panel agreed that further action was
necessary to tackle the problem of child, early and forced marriage from a
human rights perspective, and the OHCHR report contained important
recommendations in this regard. Through the discussions, many good practices
had been shared, providing an important insight into ways to address child,
early and forced marriage successfully.
22. There was convergence on the need to adopt
comprehensive approaches to ensure the participation of girls, and communities.
Such approaches had to address the root causes of child, early and forced
marriage, including poverty and gender inequality. The need to ensure the
access of girls to education and services, including information and services
on sexual and reproductive health, was also a recurring theme of the panel.
23. The panel also agreed that ensuring child,
early and forced marriage features in the post-2015 development agenda is
critical. It was stressed that the
Council needs to remain actively engaged in this issue.