15F North Tower, Rockwell Business CenterSheridan, Sheridan cor. United Sts., HighwayHills, Mandaluyong City,Philipines 1550www.philippines.unfpa.org

UNITED NATIONS POPULATION FUNDEnsuring rights and choices for all

Today, 1 out of 6 Filipina girlsare married before they are 18years old.Child marriage is a human rightsviolation that disrupts thedevelopment and growth ofyoung girls, leading to teenagepregnancy, lower educationalattainment and employability,higher risk of domestic violence.Key action points: 1) Ensureevidence-based policyformulation and programmaticinterventions for both preventionand mitigation of child marriage;2) Empower adolescent girls andplace them at the center ofprogramming efforts; 3) Pursuetransformational change in socialnorms for  eliminating childmarriage, also by engagingmen/boys, parents andcommunity leaders.

The global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has a specific target (5.3)aiming at eliminating child marriage along with other harmful practices.Indeed, 'half of the entire SDGs will not be achieved without significantprogress on child marriage, including those related to poverty, health,education, nutrition, food security, economic growth and reduction ofinequality, including gender inequality.' More than 700 million girls and women alive today were married as children.21% of young women aged 20 to 24 were married before they were 18, downfrom 25% a decade ago. There has been a small increase in the pace ofdecline of child marriage globally (driven largely by South Asia) but thedecrease is nowhere near the rate required to eliminate this harmful practiceby 2030 in line with the SDG target. Global progress would need to be 12times over the rates of decline tracked over the past decade in order toeliminate child marriage. While the practice of child marriage has slowly been declining, particularly forgirls under age 15, more concerted efforts are needed to accelerate the paceof change. If there is no reduction in child marriage, up to 280 million moregirls alive today are at risk of becoming brides before they turn 18. The effectsof population growth mean that this number will approach 320 million by2050. If current trends continue, the total number of women alive that weremarried in childhood will grow from more than 700 million today to almost 1billion women and girls by 2030.

The United Nations defines child marriage as any formal marriage or informalunion where one or both of the parties are under 18 years of age. Childmarriage is a violation of human rights as embodied in the UniversalDeclaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Convention on the Rights of the Child(CRC), and Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discriminationagainst Women (CEDAW), all of which the Philippines has either signed orratified.  Child marriage compromises the development of girls and results inearly pregnancy and social isolation, with little education and poor vocationaltraining, reinforcing the gendered nature of poverty. Most child marriages arealso forced marriages, where the consent of the child is not considered beforethe consummation of the union. While some boys are affected by childmarriage, the issue impacts girls in far larger numbers and with moreintensity.

K E Y P O I N T S

POLICY BRIEFJanuary 2020

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@UNFPAph

Human Rights Violation and Hindrance to Sustainable Growth

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Ending Child Marriagein the Philippines

# irls ot G N Brides:#

(632) 7902 9900philippines.office@unfpa.org

Policy Brief2

The consequences of 1 in 6 Filipino girls marrying before18: While some boys are affected by child marriage too,the issue affects girls’ lives far more intensely asmanifested often in poorer health and educationoutcomes, reduced employability, and higher risks toabuse and violence.  Analysis from the Commission onPopulation and Development (POPCOM) of Region XIIshows that child marriage is both a result and a cause ofthe perpetuation of a cycle of gendered poverty:

Many global studies have illuminated the complex natureof the issue of Child, Early and Forced Marriage (CEFM).Across countries, poverty, lack of education, culturalpractices, and insecurity fuel and sustain this patriarchalpractice; these vary from one community to the next andthe practice may look different across regions andcountries. Major socio-cultural factors driving childmarriage include: Economic reasons: Girls are either seen as an economicburden or valued as a capital for their exchange value interms of goods, money or livestock. Control over sexuality: Child marriage is often regardedas necessary for controlling girls’ sexuality which isdirectly linked to family honor and status. Custom and tradition: Where child marriage is prevalent,there is strong social pressure on families to eitherconform or face ridicule, disapproval or family shame. Inthose areas, some of the female child survivors of sexualviolence are married off to the perpetrators, to protectthe ‘family honor’. Local perceptions regarding an idealage of marriage are tied to economic factors such asdowries, bride price, et cetera. Security:  Situations of insecurity and acute poverty,including those due to natural disasters and armedconflicts, can prompt parents to resort to child marriageas a protective mechanism or survival strategy. In manycases, in the eyes of these parents, marrying theirdaughters even under 18 is a way to secure a betterfuture for their daughters.

Child Marriage in the Philippines

Social Determinants of Child Marriage

Many adolescent brides are exposed to early andfrequently repeated pregnancies and childbirthsbefore they become physically mature andpsychologically ready for responsible motherhood.Evidence shows that adolescent mothers betweenthe ages of 15 and 19 are twice as likely to die ofpregnancy and experience childbirth complicationsthan women between the ages of 20 and 24.The children of teen mothers are at greater risk ofstunting and underweight and even at significantlyhigher risk of early child death compared withthose with mothers who gave birth in their 20s.In many cases, the greatest obstacles to girls’education are child marriage, pregnancy, anddomestic chores which lead them to drop out of school and lose vocational chances.In addition, child brides are more likely toexperience domestic violence. Data from 2017Philippines National Demographic and HealthSurvey (NDHS) indicate that 26.4% of marriedwomen aged 15-19 years old reportedexperiencing physical, sexual or emotionalviolence.

In alignment with its commitment to the UN Conventionon the Rights of the Child which the Philippines ratified in1990, the Philippine Family Code sets the marriageableage at 18 years.  And yet, 1 out of 6 (16.5%) young womenaged 20-24 married before they became 18 (NDHS, 2017).

Studies cite the complex interplay of armed conflict,displacement, and poverty as drivers of child marriage. During the Marawi siege crisis in 2017, 31% of people inthe evacuation sites reported that child and forcedmarriage are the most common form of gender-basedviolence. The protracted displacement in the Bangsamororegion has resulted in a number of child marriage cases,as it appears to be one of the coping mechanisms of thefamilies temporarily sheltering at evacuation centers, dueto economic instability, fear of violence, and a felt need tomaintain ‘family honor’.

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© UNFPA Philippines

to end child marriage. In pursuit of the eradication ofchild marriage as a long-term goal, UNFPA’s strategicobjectives support legal and policy framework,mobilize resources and share knowledge thataccelerate actions to enhance investments in bothpreventing child marriage and supporting marriedadolescent girls. UNFPA also provides support inengaging key actors – including young people asagents of change – in catalyzing shifts towardspositive gender norms; and improving the data andevidence base. The Global Programme to Accelerate Action to EndChild Marriage, a joint effort by UNFPA and UNICEFin 12 countries, has demonstrated the following fivestrategies are proven effective towards ending childmarriage.

The SDG Target 5.3 aims at eliminating all harmfulpractices includng child marriage. Indeed manyother development goals and targets enshrined inthe SDGs, PDP and AmBisyon Natin 2040 will not beachieved without making significant progress onaddressing child marriage. Devising sustainableand structural solutions will be needed to addressthe difficult conditions that resource-poorcommunities face, enabling them to eliminate anderadicate child marriage as a solution to their socio-economic problems. UNFPA Philippines has developed a broad, multi-sectoral approach to help accelerate efforts bynational and regional governments’ interventions

In addition, child marriage and early childbirthshave significant implications on the economic well-being of not only the young mothers themselvesbut the entire country.  Since child marriage leadsthe girls to have children earlier and more childrenover their lifetime, it affects their educationalattainment negatively, thereby curtailing futureopportunities for them to compete for well-payingjobs. The costs related to earnings losses forwomen married as children are high. The gains inearnings and productivity that would have beenobserved today if women had not married early fora core set of 15 countries are estimated at $26billion.

Empower adolescent girls who are at risk ofchild marriage, or who are already married, withknowledge about their rights and consequencesof child marriage, and with skills to express theirviews and exercise their choices.Educate and mobilize families, communities andleaders to invest in adolescent girls, also byengaging men and boys, against child marriage.Strengthen the accessibility, quality andresponsiveness of services for adolescent girls inkey sectors especially education, health, childand social protection.Foster national laws and policies that protectand promote the rights of adolescent girls.Generate and use robust data and evidence toinform programs and policies relating toadolescent girls

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Strategies for Ending Child Marriage

In addition, child marriage is both a symptom and aresult of deep-seated gender inequalities andrestrictive gender norm. Thus, it is crucial to employa gender-transformative approach that fosterscritical examination of inequalities and gender roles,norms, and dynamics; promotes the relative positionof women, girls, and marginalized group; andtransforms the underlying social structures, policiesand social norms that perpetuate and legitimizegender inequalities.

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Policy Brief4

Recommendations

Ensure linkages to support economic empowerment foradolescent girls and their families to enhance thesustainability of decisions to delay marriage. Poorfamilies should be provided with financial support tokeep girls in school. Further research should be carriedout to explore the correlation between child marriageand education. Employment opportunities should becreated for girls after completing education. Women-friendly, local income-generating activities should beincreased so that girls can become financiallyempowered and thereby delay arranged marriage as acoping mechanism. Special attention should be given togirls coming from families with disability, female-headedfamilies, families without working or wage-earningadults, and families from hard-to-reach areas. Preempt an inter-generational  cycle of child marriageand poverty. In addition to enhancing aforementionedmeasures for the ‘prevention’ of child marriage, supportto married adolescents as ‘mitigation’ measures shouldalso be scaled up so that, for instance, those girls whodropped out from school because of marriage andchild-bearing can come back on track of continuededucation and skills development. Involve boys and men in activities designed towardsthe transformation of gendered power relations.Programs for gender equality that creatively engageboys and men are required. This, in turn, would supportthem to recognize issues of masculinity, which areharmful for themselves and their relationships, as wellas the privilege and power they wield in society. Suchengagement would enable them to become changeagents for gender equality. Ultimately, UNFPA promotes the rights and well-beingof all adolescents. UNFPA supports the government inintroducing legislation and interventions that recognizethe right of adolescents to express their own views onall matters of concern to them and be responsible fordecisions affecting them. All laws, policies and programsthat aim to prevent child marriage should not in anyway; either directly or indirectly; disadvantage,stigmatize, or penalize adolescents. Policies shouldpromote adolescent-centered investments that addressthe root causes of child marriage.

Such a gender-responsive, whole system-wide approachwould also include the following components: Consolidate and strengthen the evidence base andknowledge management on child marriage. Availabledata indicate that child marriage seems to be morecommon in some areas in the Philippines. However,there is not enough available disaggregated data thatcan inform programs and policies at the LGU level.National and regional governments through thePhilippines Statistics Authority (PSA) and otherregulatory/coordination bodies such as the PhilippineCommission on Women and Commission onBangsamoro Women need to build and maintain datasystems that will contribute to building evidence on childmarriage prevalence to understand trends and monitorprogress towards its elimination.

Successful country experiences in gender-tranformative approach in addressing child marriagein their communities

Case Study

A study in Brazil on the drivers of child marriage lifted the importance of engaging fathers ofadolescent girls in programmes to prevent childmarriage and promote girls’ education andprotection.   A multi-country study from South Asia on thecauses and consequences of child marriagerecommends greater macroeconomicinvestment in girls’ education and overallpoverty reduction programmes to address theprevalence of child marriage at scale, thusreinforcing the need to implement approachesat various levels in the socio-ecology.

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R E F E R E N C E S

Policy Brief

UNICEF Early Marriage – A Harmful Traditional Practice 2005 p.1Girls Not Brides (2017), How ending child marriage is critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Retrieved athttps://www.girlsnotbrides.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Child-marriage-and-achieving-the-SDGs_DAC.pdfUnited Nations Children’s Fund, ‘Child Marriage: Latest trends and future prospects’, UNICEF, New York, 2018.UNFPA-UNICEF Child Marriage Info Sheet (10 March 2016). Retrieved https://www.unfpa.org/child-marriage on 17 January 2020.DHS Program & Philippine Statistics Authority (2017). Philippines National Demographic and Health Survey 2017 Key Indicators Report.Quezon City, Philippines.PLAN International (2017). Child Protection Rapid Assessment Report: Marawi DisplacementThe Code of Muslim Personal Laws sets a lower age for marriage – 15 years old for male and 12 years old for females as long as shehas attained puberty.Wodon, Q., C.Male, A.Nayihouba, A.Onagoruwa, A.Savadogo, A. Yedan, J.Edmeades, A.Kes,N. John, L. Murithi, M. SteinhausandS.Petroni (2017). Economic Impacts of Child Marriage: Global Synthesis Report,Washington, DC: The World Bank and InternationalCenter for Research on WomenTaylor, Alice, Lauro, Giovanna, Segundo, Marcio, and Greene, Margaret, ‘She Goes With Me in MyBoat: Child and adolescent marriagein Brazil’, Instituto Promundo and Promundo-US, Rio de Janeiro andWashington DC, July 2015, retrieved at<https://promundoglobal.org/resources/she-goes-with-me-in-my-boat-childand-adolescent-marriage-in-brazil/#>UNFPA and UNICEF, ‘Key drivers of the changing prevalence of child marriage in three countries in South Asia’, working paper, UNICEF,Kathmandu, August 2018, retrieved at <https://www.unicef.org/rosa/reports/key-driverschanging-prevalence-child-marriage-three-countries-south-asia>.

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CALL TO ACTION

The UNFPA welcomes the passage of national legislation and policies for eradicating child, early and forcedmarriage for the best interests of the girl child. It will aid the realization of a global commitment to ensure that girlsand boys fully enjoy their childhood free from the negative consequences of marriage; and that they experiencehealthier, safer and more empowered life transitions while in control of their own destiny. The passage of such national laws will contribute to the fulfillment of the Philippines’ commitment to internationalagreements ratified by the Senate and will call for the strengthened nationwide implementation of the Provisions ofthe Family Code of the Philippines (EO 209) and the Magna Carta of Women (RA 9710) setting 18 years old as thelegal age of marriage.