
The Philippines has the 12th highest number of child brides in the world
Maricel Kuyog inside her house in the village of Capacuan in the northern Philippine province of Cagayan. (Photo by Mark Saludes)
This article was first published on July 19, 2019
Maricel Kuyog wanted to share her story with someone not from her village. She had the chance when a group of humanitarian workers came for a visit.
She took them to her house, which was partially damaged by a typhoon that hit the northern Philippines in 2018.Get the latest from UCA News. Sign-up to receive our daily newsletter
In some regions of the country, early marriage is justified by culture and religion.
In the southern city of Marawi, Marah (not her real name) said she agreed to marry a boy who was chosen by her parents "because it is our tradition and it is accepted in our religion." She was only 14 when she was got married in 2016. She was already pregnant when the 2017 conflict erupted in the city, displacing about half a million people.The dowry her husband's parents gave for the wedding was gone after the war destroyed the small store she set up in her village.Under Islamic law in the Philippines, early marriage for boys who have reached the age of 15 and for girls who have had their first menstruation is allowed.Amanah Busran Lao, a Muslim lawyer, said the law was crafted in the 1970s. "It is already obsolete," she said. "While it allows child marriage, it also violates the rights of the child that are guaranteed by the Philippine constitution." Lao said, however, that religion and culture should not be blamed for child marriage in many parts of the country. "We can amend the law and break tradition, but if we do not address poverty, child or arranged marriages will continue as a practice," she said. She noted that many Muslim families think that marrying their children off at a young age will resolve poverty. "It does not. It only worsens the situation," Lao told ucanews.com.Maricel and Marah got married at a young age to break free from poverty. Today, they continue to live in a situation that can only be resolved by social reforms.Help us keep UCA News independent
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