The Health Social Workers Association of T&T (HESWATT) would like to categorically and unequivocally state that child marriage is a harmful social practice and a human rights violation, which is in direct contravention of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
According to Erik Erikson, an internationally renowned developmental psychologist, children between the ages of 12 and 18 are at the stage of "Identity vs Role Confusion" where they are exploring who they are as individuals and how they fit into the wider society. It is during such a stage that the main crisis with which they are faced is developing a comfortable identity.
When children enter into a marriage during these crucial years, they are invariably denied the invaluable opportunity to explore who they are as individuals, the consequences of which are generally insecurity and feelings of low self-worth.
As Health Social Workers practising in the nation's maternity hospitals, we are often asked to work with people who are spouses and who may be facing significant difficulties as partners in underage marriages. It has been found that girls in particular are at greater risk, since they are expected to do so called "women's work" including child bearing, which can significantly limit their ability for personal and professional advancement.
Once married, child brides may have little or no access to education and economic opportunities. Even in situations where education is allowed to continue, young brides also have to balance the stress of school work with the demands of domestic life.
Conversely, males who marry young run the risk of not being able to further their education and invariably end up in low income jobs.
HESWATT is of the view that our children are to be protected at all costs. While we acknowledge that our nation is multicultural, it is the duty of the state to ensure that our children are provided with an environment that ensures this protection. If certain cultural practices are found to prevent this protection from occurring, then they should be unapologetically outlawed by the state.
As such, HESWATT maintains that the laws governing marriages, specifically the Muslim, Hindu, and Orisha Marriage Act, need to be immediately amended and aligned with the Children's Authority Act, which identifies the age of sexual consent as 18 years. It is our hope that the state moves swiftly to effect these critical and long overdue changes.
Michael Jattan,
President, HESWATT