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Early Marriage in Palestine : Survey of the physical and psychological impact on girls subject to early marriage
La pratique du mariage précoce dans le monde arabe a été sur le déclin depuis les années 1970, en raisons des changements mondiaux qui impactent le Moyen-Orient – hausse du niveau d'éducation, participation des femmes dans le travail et l’empowerment social et économique des femmes.
| La pratique du mariage précoce dans le monde arabe a été sur le déclin depuis les années 1970, en raisons des changements mondiaux qui impactent le Moyen-Orient – hausse du niveau d'éducation, participation des femmes dans le travail et l’empowerment social et économique des femmes. L’idée communément répandue que ce sont des normes sociales ou des croyances religieuses qui entrainent un mariage précoce est fausse. Ce sont des facteurs économiques qui en sont la principale cause. La pauvreté grimpante a entrainé une hausse des mariages précoces dans plusieurs pays du Moyen-Orient, y compris en Palestine. |
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The practice of early marriage in the Arab world has been on the decline since the 1970s, thanks to general global changes that are impacting on the Middle East – higher education levels, women’s participation in the labor force, and the shifting economic and social empowerment of women. It is a common misconception that early marriage is driven by social norms or religious beliefs; however one of the main drivers is economic. The increasing absolute poverty has caused a spike in early marriage levels in some parts of the Middle East region, including Palestine.
In conjunction with local partners and the community in the Palestinian territories, and with support from the European Commission Humanitarian Aid & Civil Protection Office (ECHO), Médecins du Monde launched a series of 10 workshops in five villages around the city of Nablus in December 2010. Young people in Burin, Madama, Asira, Urif and Einabus were invited to attend early marriage workshops in the local Primary Health Care Centre (PHCC) in their village, with either their mother or father.
The workshops are mixed and the parents are encouraged to participate. This unique approach ensures that both genders are able to interact with, and understand one another, on this very important issue. Topics that are covered include the physiological impact of early marriage, religion, and the psychosocial effects. To date, Médecins du Monde has reached over 320 young people and their parents in and around Nablus through the workshops.
| Negative outcomes observed due to early marriage |
| Denial of childhood |
| Lower levels of education |
| Early child-bearing |
| Poorer reproductive health |
| High fertility |
| Higher maternal and infant mortality |
| Overall poorer health and well-being |
| Higher household poverty |
“I was married at 15 and it was a huge responsibility. I was not able to deal with it easily. But I couldn’t stop the marriage taking place. I was too young…”
54 year-old female MdM beneficiary from Einabus
“The main health effects I have seen on young women who have married too early and become pregnant straight away are fetal death; underweight infants; abortion; premature births; and stillbirths. The worst thing is that many of these girls do not have the maturity to deal with such difficult or tragic events…
Dr. Najwa Hanoon M.D, Nablus
“Marrying off their daughters is a coping mechanism for some families regardless of what the law says. Families with very limited financial sources may resort to several means of forging their daughters actual age.”
Yara Jarallah, Birzeit University, Palestine
Contacts presse
Florence Priolet - Paris
01 44 92 14 31 / 14 32 - 06 09 17 35 59
Mariem Omari – Middle East or Houda Bouchaib
00962 (0) 7995 11163 or 00 7455 295752