International Day of the Girl Child:The terrifying world of child brides | Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog

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Friday 12 October 2012

International Day of the Girl Child:The terrifying world of child brides

Disturbing: Faiz, 40 (left), and Ghulam (right), 11, sit in her home prior to their wedding in the rural Damarda Village, Afghanistan
Yesterday October 11 was International Day of the Girl Child and to mark and draw attention to the problem of child brides, photojournalist Stephanie Sinclair teamed up with National Geographic to create  a series of heart-breaking photos depicting girls as young as five years old being married off to middle-aged men in countries like India, Yemen and Ethiopia. See more after the cut...



Minors: Tahani (front), 8, is seen with her husband Majed, 27, and her former classmate Ghada (rear), 8, and her husband outside their home in Hajjah, Yemen
Opulent: Priest Addisu Abebe, 23, and his new bride Destaye Amare, 11, are married in a traditional Ethiopian Orthodox wedding in the rural areas outside the city of Gondar, Ethiopia

Sarita, 15, is seen covered in tears and sweat before she is sent to her new home in Rajasthan, India

hocking: Portrait of Said, 55, and Roshan, 8, on the day of their engagement, Afghanistan
Child mothers: Asia, a 14-year-old mother, washes her new baby girl at home in Hajjah while her two-year-old daughter plays

Child mothers: Asia, a 14-year-old mother, washes her new baby girl at home in Hajjah while her 2 year old daughter plays

Gruesome: Police woman Malalai Kakar (back right) arrests Janan, 35, after he tried to kill his 15-year-old wife Jamila for angering him by fleeing her home to stay with her mother following years of abuse
Rock bottom: A young prostitute named China sits stunned after being beat up by a man visiting Kabele Five in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
New family: Maya, 8, and Kishore, 13, pose for a wedding photo inside their new home the day after the Hindu holy day of Akshaya Tritiya, or Akha Teej, in Rajasthan, India

This also happens in Northern Nigeria. Let's all join forces to end child marriage.

86 comments:

mmmeme said...

God have mercy! What's all these rubbishhhhhhhhhhh?

Anonymous said...

Can't see it stopping anytime soon.

Anonymous said...

Dont just say it happens in northern nigeria too, give us photos as you have shown for other countries

Anonymous said...

i tink is dia religion or tradition dat makes dem do so, i hope one day dey will realise dat its child abuse.

Anonymous said...

This is really heart stopping....

fay said...

sigh....

well their "culture & belief" supports being a pedophile as a way of life... they don't see anything wrong in being a child molester. God is patient. i do really feel for these little girls who have to experience sex before their periods even start. they will not know what it feels like to be in love and be romanced... such beasts who will get turned on by an 8yr old child. its tooo sad.

i do pray and hope that some day such perversion will stop.

Miss Dew said...

WHAT!!!!...dis is soooo wrong!!!...soo soo wrong!!!...disgusting i must add!...gross child abuse!!...OMG!!!

specialme said...

OMG!

specialme said...

OMG! This is sad...

BLOGLORD said...

this is the height of child abuse. what da f**?
8-year old? what the hell does she know?
the kind of things God will judge in this world ehn?
Na wa o!

Anonymous said...

i see so much hate/despair/fear in the eyes of these girls....

Unknown said...

Yes it happens in Northern Nigeria.I grew up in the far North and have seen loads of such marriages. I mean even distinguished Senator Ahmed Yerima, former governor of Zamfara state, married a 13 of is it 15 year old Egyptian girl some years back and when people showed concern, women from his state protested saying its allowed in their religion and he should be left alone. Some of these issues are religion/culture tied and can be quite difficult to fight against, but, that does not make it right and we must all join our voice to help save these girls.

Check me out---- tongryang-pantu.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

This is so so distubing,let us join hands in prayers and in actions against such things.GOD help humanity and those who has been forcefully given out in mariage.

African Sweetheart said...

it really is sad

http://africansweetheart.blogspot.co.uk/

cardinal arynze said...

lin,ask sen yerima how he;s enjoying his.Forgive my curiousity;;hw dat big tin dey take enter the small tin.na God go punish dem finish.catching them young indeed......cardinal arynze reporting .

Segun said...

This is heartbreaking. Saddening pictures. Why can't they wait for them to grow up small now abiiii?

IVORY CHI said...

THIS IS TERRIBLE.

HOWEVER..I REALL DONT THINK IT WILL STOP UNLESS PROPER LEGISLATION AND ENFORCEMENT IS MADE

...SOME CULTURES HAVE NO RESPECT FOR WOMEN WHATSOEVER, THIS HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN FOR GENERATIONS ON END.

Anonymous said...

they should leave them alone o, when they start bombing cause they wont mind their business, they'll start condemning countries as terrorists, if they want to marry new born babies they should free them, there's somthing called tradition

Anonymous said...

toooo stunned to comment , highly heart breaking

Anonymous said...

NO COMMENT

Anonymous said...

FUCK tradition , this is crazy .

Anonymous said...

dey jus giv out deir children as an agreement , or bet or hunger or for sale .

Nutella said...

God of Heaven!

Nε̲̣̣̣̥nε̲̣̣̣̥ naija said...

Abasi mmi ke enyong ikpa mmong! This is so unfair. 8yrs and married off already? Lord have mercy! And ds is only common wd certain religious sect and area.

Chichiluv said...

Pedophiles, the whole lot of them. This vicious cycle will continue without education!

Anonymous said...

What does that 13 year old groom know bikonu? Are they thought how to have sex or what?

*yr old Roshan was all smiles. I bet she didnt know what she was going into. Poor kids.

Anonymous said...

And they will all ascend to heaven won't they? This life ehn

Anonymous said...

international day of the boy child nko? Abi are there no suffering boys in this world? The way women bring all issues concerning them to the spotlight and relegate male problems to the background is something else

Surest said...

Linda I'll send you my picture so you can decorate your blog with it..bb smiley face

BONARIO NNAGS said...

hehehehe most of dem are looking for innocent girls to marry,soon primary school kids will be attending school with engagement rings,to avoid disturbance.

~BONARIO~says so via NOKIA3310

ivy said...

Simply put! Dey r pedophiles & no1 sees nethn wrong wiv it

Anonymous said...

See as dem dress like taliban warriors.....

Anonymous said...

This is sad...

Anonymous said...

OMG! These r girls who r meant 2 stil be bathed 4 & allowed 2 watched cartoons. Hw can an 8yrs-18yrs old be emotionally ready 4 marriage? Dis girls mostly av VVFs or sumtyms die from complicatns when dey wanna give birth. Damn culture, damn greedy parents who wil sell their kids for peanuts, damn men who wants 2 strt a family wit a minor.

uneks said...

This is unbelievable, too sad.

Anonymous said...

Grow up small!!! Ur a rapist dude.

Anonymous said...

lets tackle one problem at a time. deal with the murderer's who are from Aluu

Anonymous said...

What struck me was how every person pictured had empty eyes.

How can these men feel good about themself is beyond me, and how any woman can send her daughter away to any man's house at such an age is equally startling. Images likes these are heartwrenching.

Anonymous said...

As long as girl starts menstruating she's gud 2 go 4 marriage

Anonymous said...

Ewwwwwww!!!!!,nuff said

Anonymous said...

Screw tradition!ds is barbaric!and som1 is actually saying we shld leave them cos its their tradition!I pity women in certain places n cultures.ds is jst sad.@14 she has 2kids already?which money will she use to take care of them?I feel terrible!!!*TONI*

kimmy said...

Can see these pictures are turning you on paedophile. Can see that linda ikeji has turned to your google idiot.

R4R said...

my God!

Anonymous said...

I read bt a 12yr old gal in d north who was being married 2 a 40yr old man.dis tin happen, dia religion supports it.itz nt illegal so diaz ntin we can du bt it.sucks 2b dose kids

Anonymous said...

Linda I must commend ur efforts. Please don't hold back the same way we all still talked about the ALUU 4, this should also be our next BIG THING.

Its sicking to think of what this children go through in the hands of this their husbands. Am a mother of 2 I can imagine my 8yr old daugther been married off to a 50yr old HABA.

Awearness is key. Pls post more pic.

Jojo

kimmy said...

You must be one of them. Kmt.

kimmy said...

This is sad, very sad and should be kicked against. Watched a documentary on it and also read books on it and to think the parents of these girls give out their children this young to preserve their farmland or to be able to feed. The girl smiling has no idea what she is gong into, it will only dawn on her when the man tries to penetrate her at night. Read a case where the girl (10yrs) ran back to her family house and her father almost killed her simply because their farm was gonna be taken away if she left her husband who also happens to be her cousin. The initial agreement was thst he was gonna wait till she turned Twelve but instead he decided to take her 2days after their wedding night and her Aunty supported her son's decision. This is really sad.

Anonymous said...

I just witnessed one here in Lagos, two months ago. She is 14, and in secondary school. Her parents stopped her schooling some months before the marriage. Afterall, what's the need? It's painful because the groom makes a living in faraway Mali, and has since taken his bride home. I often stop to wonder how this girl will fare, with no known relative anywhere around her. Is there anything I could have done?

Adriana Silva said...

Oh God... it´s disgusting

DriKa
http://eraumavezaspanelasdadrika.blogspot.pt/

Dr. Rukevwe said...

I don tire o...

Anonymous said...

i am so glad the documentry film 'girl rising' will be out early next year, this is to educate people on the importance of girl eductation and eradicate child marrage. Selena gomez, Anne hathaway, Merly streep and kera washinton will lend their voices to the film. SHOWING ON CNN

Anonymous said...

Oh my God dis is heartbreaking abeg wetin 5yrs old sabi, I just can't imagine it. Dis is the high of madness on the part of this beast called men. May all this aware placed and effort drawing attention to the world dat such barbaric act still exist nt be in vain. Lord take control, cultures and traditions are made by man and can also be changed by man if Tђξ level of enforcement is made

Anonymous said...

Very saddddddddddddddddddddddddd

Anonymous said...

The heart of man is desperately wicked

Anonymous said...

No be small matter ooooo

Anonymous said...

Lord hv mercy!!! Wat is dis world turning into na wah ohhh! I dot jut understand why dey cant marry som1 older mtewwwwww! Dis pple ned serious help oh

Anonymous said...

U r so not serious. So ur then 54yrs old senator yerima of zamfara state dat went to egypt and bought a 13yr old bride for $100k is not example enof? Abi u were conveniently absent frm naija then so dat u can accuse Linda of lyin today? Na wa for u sef. Wat other proof do u need biko?

Ai

Anonymous said...

Early marriage is not the only problem facing the girl child, lets also put into consideration rape, early and unwanted pregnancy and prostitution. Here in Nigeria you have young girls at the age of 13 and 14 already sexually active and becoming young mothers and they are left to take care of these children by themselves with no husband.Yet its like people don't notice or do they just keep quiet

Anonymous said...

Paedophiles r everywhr.I was 13 when one Uncle in our neighbourhood tried 2b funny. Fr no reason,he'd give me 10naira. One day,he saw me n asked dat I come see him later-in private. Sensing something odd,I replied my mum sent me on an errand. He sent me off with 20naira,insisting dat I made sure I came ooo. On gttng home,I showed my mum d money n told her what hpned. Trust my mother,ironlady,na so she match go him house,dey shout on top him head. Neighbours gathered n began 2ask him what he wud wanna tell a 13yr old in private. Uncle dey stutter.
Girls r raped daily and they keep mum abt it cos dey v no1 to confide in. We hear stories of rapists who still walk freely in our communities. Old men nearing their graves who would tk their grandchildren's mates as wives. It is all so sad. I pray it all comes to an end soon.

Anonymous said...

Imagine..infact, these ppl are not it @ all..having sex @ what age? Walahi,am happy am yoruba oo #gba#

Anonymous said...

Is it going to be showing in our cinemas here in Nigeria?

Anonymous said...

Tufiakwa....this is madness in d highest order. Hw dare u country or religion allow dis barbaric joke. God av mercy! SAVE, SAVE CHILDREN!!!

Anonymous said...

Shut up! U thwart!

Anonymous said...

hmmmm

Cocolette said...

That was the most heartbreaking of the pictures to me...like, she had no idea...such innocence

Nekky said...

O my days!!!! this is absoultely heart breaking. some traditions are demonic and straight from hell. i feel like killing the men. poor Rohan smiling, bet she doesn't even know what's happening to her. wicked generation

zimiDe## said...

dix iz xoxo crazy

Anonymous said...

Something is common among this places, that is religion and culture; from Yemen to Afghan, back to Pakistan and northern Nigerian. Mahatma Ghandi married when he was 11 years because Hinduism and Islam supports it...religious leaders should help to curb this menace.

Anonymous said...

Linda investigate well before you write,I was born and raised in the north and I have never heard of such oooo mabe in a core village not in the city

Anonymous said...

its mostly the uneducated people that do this practice, sad in deed

Anonymous said...

Why all the fuss about child marriage??? This happens in Nigeria too and unless Northern women themselves are willing to take a stand against it, there is really nothing much we can do but as Northern Nigerian women say, it is their culture!

horluwatosyne said...

what is all dis for GOD SAKE....na wa o

horluwatosyne said...

what is all dis for GOD SAKE....na wa o

Anonymous said...

I hav an eight year old dat only just started bathing herself. I'm just imagining one bastard defiling her in d name of marriage. May God judge dis beasts!

Anonymous said...

Na wa oh. No yash no boobs so were does d pleasure comes. Frm biko choi dis men re extended relatives of aluu pple

Anonymous said...

This is so disgusting. Am in my mid twenties and marriage scares me. May God have mercy on all of them for subjecting these young children to early marriage and disrupting their childhood.

WWLTD said...

i can imagine going thru dis as a child. Thank God for m life and may God save children. No doubt, the world is full of evil.

Anonymous said...

Kaiiii!!!! Benson and Stabler where are you??? This is awful!!! Peadophiles and perverts hiding under their creepy traditions! Divine intervention is needed! Amy...

Anonymous said...

Which forces am I joining, eh Linda? When a sitting Senator is guilty of same crime. I tire biko

Anonymous said...

i dont know but they said the movie will be distributed to film festivals and theaters. I hope Nigerian theaters will be included.

Anonymous said...

Yeeepa. Ori mi o. E gba mi.
I am speechless.
Ladies are enjoying in Nigeria o.
When this little girls ought to be in schools, they are being auctioned off. So sad. What is UN doing about this? Something need to be done to stop this. Even in India, we have this despicable behviour? Oti pari.

Anonymous said...

Lord have mercy. #Crying# This has to stop.

Anonymous said...

i knw wen am reading through this comment someone will mention yerima. i see no fault in what yerima did atleast he is better than the present yola governor whom was seen with little girls taking them to dubai and other countires to chill. yerima legalised wat he did and he is criticised while those dat have extra-marital affairs are being watchd. look at the case of dino, impregnantin sum1 and denying coz its a shame, bt wen married you cn neva deny it,so pls jst shut up and face your problems.

Unknown said...

When I was 8 years old, I was still bedwetting. Now that I\'m almost 18, marriage is the last thing on my mind. 8yrs old and married kwa? Wetin? I\'m sure I\'m already old cargo in their country sef. I feel sorry for them because I have female cousins I love so much and I\'m sure these dirty, ugly, stinking, heartless, illiterate, foolish and cursed old men aren\'t treating these babies well. I\'m praying for GOD to touch their country and set those babies free. Give them a chance to enjoy their childhood! Haba!

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