016-女孩早婚现象

Passage 016-女孩早婚现象

Russian law bans forced, underage and polygamous marriages ( 重婚) . But in Russia 's remote Caucasus region, tribal laws and traditions carry more weight than state law. And so on Saturday, 47-year old Nazhud Guchigov married a 17-year old bride.

Despite laws against child marriage, in developing countries one in every three girls is married before reaching age 18. One in nine is married under age 15. The problem was discussed at a symposium (研讨会) in Morocco this week. 

Bangladesh (孟加拉国)，India and Niger (尼日尔) are the most afected countries with three in every four girls getting married before age 18. The practice continues mostly due to persistent poverty and gender inequality and is often arranged by a girl's parents. 

“So it is at this level that we must first intervene (介入) . And the second level is at the community level, for the community to start perceiving these dangers."

This fourteen-year-old girl in India was able to avoid the marriage her parents arranged by appealing to her school principal:

“Today was to be my wedding day, I'm not getting married, I want to study"

Experts say governments in the affected countries need to do more to keep girls in the educational system and protect them from abuse and violence.