Educate girls to get them out of poverty

THERE has been much hullabaloo about teen marriages lately. What bothers me is the labelling of men who marry their young brides as paedophiles.

I come from a family whose culture is to marry their daughters young. My grandmothers, aunts and my mother were in their early teens when they got married and had children. The men who married them are respectable members of society whom I admire and love.

The thought that people would label them as paedophiles really sickens me. Of course, times have changed and I am extremely grateful that my parents decided to educate me instead of marrying me off young. However, I cannot stop thinking that I too could have become a young bride and missed out on all the opportunities that I have been blessed with.

I am compelled to voice my opinion on this matter because of how society is all riled up in condemning these marriages. Who are we to judge them? We do not live their lives to understand their problems. These children may come from poor homes with many siblings. Marrying off their daughter is a respectable way for these parents to reduce their burden as there is one less mouth to feed. The daughter becomes the responsibility of her husband and if he is wellto-do, he could be of assistance to the family.

The daughter herself may prefer the marriage rather than live in poverty. (I admit there are unscrupulous men out there who would exploit the poverty of these families, however.) By condemning these marriages, does society solve the problems of the family?

Although setting an age limit will stop these marriages, these families must also be given assistance so that they would not view girls as a burden. They must be made to see that their daughters have an alternative future to just marriage. These girls must be identified and given scholarships to continue their education or given some skills to be able to fend for themselves. Empowering women is a powerful way to ensure they can decide their own future and not just rely on their male relatives.

Religious authorities should create awareness in villages to encourage families to educate their daughters. The tithe collected can be used to educate the girls. Even if they do get married at a young age, these girls would be able to earn their own keep if they want or need to. An education will enable them to plan their pregnancy and take charge of their lives.

Finally, society must also help by not condemning but through giving assistance. All parents want the best for their children, and if they can be given another alternative for a brighter future, I am sure they would want it for their daughters. KULSANOFER SYED THAJUDEEN Petaling Jaya