Throughout the world, marriage is regarded as a moment of celebration and a milestone in adult life. Sadly, the practice of child marriage gives no such cause for celebration as it compromises the fundamental rights of a child.
While much of the impact remains hidden, child marriage has health consequences on girls which in the long run can affect their fertility amongst other adverse effects.
Bertha (20) a former child bride based in rural Silobela was married off at the age of 15 to her uncle’s friend who had three wives. The marriage was a means to alleviate household poverty as her father could no longer afford to send her to school and life had become very hard for the family.
“I got married at the age of 15, at 16 I had two miscarriages, at the age of 17 my child died while he was a month old. I am 20 now and I have since been unable to conceive, have never been to see a Gynecologist or just a general Physician to see if there is something wrong with me now. Before I could conceive so easily but now I feel something is wrong. I can no longer control my bowel movements and stool sometimes just leaks out. I had difficult pregnancies and with all of them I never sought medical attention. We used to go to an apostolic sect and every medical need is catered to at the church. My husband and his family continually taunted me for not falling pregnant and my husband married another girl. He returned me to my father’s house in April this year, his family believes I am of no value to them as I don’t have any children and I’m not falling pregnant,” she narrates.
Bertha’s tale is part of the untold health challenges being faced by child brides in rural Silobela.
In an interview with Silobela based Child Care worker, Mrs. Ncube it came out that most girls do not have access to sexual and reproductive health services.
“Most of these girls are married off to older men who abuse them and neglect taking care of them. Due to the fear of being harassed by their husbands they do not seek medical support or go to hospitals to access contraceptives and necessary medication, “she said.
She added that, “because of the age difference they become scared to negotiate for safer sex or even basic medical attention which leaves them at risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections and other afflictions .”
In an interview with Former Health Minister Doctor Henry Madzorera he highlighted that child marriage is detrimental to a girl’s health.
He said that, “they are at a high risk of contracting HIV/ AIDS and other sexual transmitted infections as they are not able to negotiate for safer sex or demand getting tested for HIV. They are also at a risk of cervical cancer as their immunity would have already depleted when giving birth. Also Obstetric fistula is now a huge problem where people lose control of their bowels,” said Dr. Madzorera.
According to the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey of 2019, Zimbabwe has a maternal mortality ration of 462 deaths per 100,000 live births, and a neonatal mortality rate of 32 deaths per 1000 live births.
It is evident that child marriages are likely to slow the improvement of maternal mortality rate resulting in Zimbabwe is unlikely to meet the SDG target for reducing maternal and neonatal rate. A landmark 2016 Constitutional Court decision declared child marriages unconstitutional and set 18 as the minimum age for marriage. However despite this ruling child marriage continues to rise in the country leaving thousands of girls in Zimbabwe faced with untold suffering and long term harm.