Traditional and Religious Leaders Knowledge of Medical and Health Consequences of Early Marriage in Sokoto State Nigeria

Ahmad Yahaya Maigemu; Suleman Khalid

doi:10.18535/sshj.v8i12.1558

Abstract

Traditional and religious leaders play a key role in addressing many vital social problems including girl child marriage. A girl child marriage is a marriage conducted before the age of 18. This study identifies traditional and religious leader’s knowledge of medical and health consequences of early marriage in Sokoto state, Nigeria. The study is purely qualitative and employed In Depth Interview (IDI) to interrogate traditional and religious leader’s knowledge on medical and health implication of girl child marriage. Interviews were conducted with a total of 48 respondents made up of 18 religious leaders and 30 traditional leaders. The study found out that early marriage has both medical and health consequences to girl child. The study recommend that there is a need to develop methods to protect girls at risk of child marriage and to address the concerns of girls and women who are already married by ensuring the fulfillment of their right to a full education and providing that with life skills based training to ensure that they can earn a livelihood.

Keywords

Social WorkLaw ViolationsCriminal Justice

References

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www.ajol.info/index.php/naujilj/article/download/82389/72544Google Scholar ↗
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Obikeze, D. S. (1990) Methods of Duta Analysis in the Social and Behavioural Sciences, Enugu: Auto-Century Publishing Co. Ltd.Google Scholar ↗
Shehu, D. J. (1992) “Socio-Cultural Factors in the Causation of Maternal Mortality and Morbidity in Sokoto,”in M. N. Kesseka (ed.) ‘Women’s Health Issues in Nigeria, Tamaza Publishing Co. LtdGoogle Scholar ↗
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Khalid, S. and Zango, I. M. (1995) “Access to Reproductive health Services in Nigeria: A Study of Vesico-Vaginal Fistulae (VVF) in Kano”, paper presented at the National Conference on Population and Development in Africa: Plan of Action, organized by Population Association of Nigeria, Benin City, 4th-5th May.Google Scholar ↗
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Ma’aji, N, I. (Undated): Between Early Marriage and Adolescent Girls in Northern Nigeria. Retrieved from: www.gamji.com/article600/NEWS7738.htmGoogle Scholar ↗
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N. P. C. (2006) National Population Commission Census News Vol. 3.1Google Scholar ↗
Otoo-Oryortey, N. and Pobi, S. (2003): Early Marriage and Poverty: Exploring Links and Key Policy Issues; In Gender and Development. Vol. II, No. 2, pp 42-51Google Scholar ↗
Pathfinder International (2006): Report on Causes and Consequences of Early Marriage in Amhara Region, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Sourced from www.pathfinder.org/publications-tools/pdfs/pdfGoogle Scholar ↗
Population Council (2012): Child Marriage: Overview. Retrieved fromGoogle Scholar ↗
http//www.popcouncil.org/topics/youth_child_marriage.aspGoogle Scholar ↗
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Sharpe, S. (1976): Just Like a Girl: Girls learn to be Women. Penguin Books. HarmondsworthsGoogle Scholar ↗
UNFPA (2004): Child Marriage Advocacy Programme: Fact Sheet on Child Marriage and Early Union. Sourced from (2005): Child Marriage Facts Sheet. Sourced from www.unfpa.org/protection/files/child_marriage.pdfGoogle Scholar ↗
The Forum on Marriage and the Rights of Women and Girls (2003): Early Marriage and Poverty: Exploring Links for Policy and Programme Development.Google Scholar ↗
UNICEF (2001): Early Marriage: Child Spouses; In Innocenti Digest, No. 7. UNICEF: Innocenti Research CentreGoogle Scholar ↗
_______ (2005): Early Marriage: A Harmful Traditional Practice – A Statistical Exploration. Sourced fromGoogle Scholar ↗
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Westoff, C. (2003): Trends in Marriage and Early Child Bearing in Developing Countries: In DHS Comparative Reports, No. 5, DRC Macro, Calverton, Md, USAGoogle Scholar ↗
Yin, R. K.. (1989) Case Study Research Design and Methods, Sage Publications, London.Google Scholar ↗
Zango, I. M. (2001) “Knowledge, Attitude and Practices About Family Planning among the Fulani in Northern Nigeria” in Journal of General Studies, Vol. 4 No. 1Google Scholar ↗

[refR-1] African Population Conference (2007): The Causes and Consequences of Early Marriage in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Sourced fromGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-2] uaps2007.princeton/.edu/papers/70517Google Scholar ↗

[refR-3] Bach, C. A. (1957): Survey of African Marriage and Family Life. London. Oxford University PressGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-4] Bhattacharya, G. (2004): Socio-cultural and Behavioral Context in Heterosexual Married Couples in India: Challenges to HIV Prevention Programmes; In Health Education and Behaviour, Vol. 31, No. 1, pp 101-117Google Scholar ↗

[refR-5] Barret, S. R. (1984) The Rebirth of Anthropological Theory, Toronto, University of Toronto Presss.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-6] Colson, E. (1967) The Intensive Study of Small Sample Communities in E. L. Epstein (ed.) The Craft of Social Anthrap.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-7] Forward.Com (2013): Child Marriage. Retrieved fromGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-8] www.formarduk./keyissues/child-marriage.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-9] Hammersley, M.. (1989) The Dilemma of Qualitative Method, Routledge.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-10] Iyabode, O. (2010): Child Bride and Child Sex: Combating Child Marriages in Nigeria. Sourced fromGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-11] www.ajol.info/index.php/naujilj/article/download/82389/72544Google Scholar ↗

[refR-12] Jenson, R. and Thornton, R. (2003): Early Female Marriage in the Developing World; In Gender and Development, Vol. II, No. 2, pp 9-19Google Scholar ↗

[refR-13] Obikeze, D. S. (1990) Methods of Duta Analysis in the Social and Behavioural Sciences, Enugu: Auto-Century Publishing Co. Ltd.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-14] Shehu, D. J. (1992) “Socio-Cultural Factors in the Causation of Maternal Mortality and Morbidity in Sokoto,”in M. N. Kesseka (ed.) ‘Women’s Health Issues in Nigeria, Tamaza Publishing Co. LtdGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-15] Shehu, D. J. (1999) “Upgrading Community Awareness of Obstetric Complications in North Western Nigeria” in Journal of Reproductive Health Matters, August-Dec.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-16] Khalid, S. and Zango, I. M. (1995) “Access to Reproductive health Services in Nigeria: A Study of Vesico-Vaginal Fistulae (VVF) in Kano”, paper presented at the National Conference on Population and Development in Africa: Plan of Action, organized by Population Association of Nigeria, Benin City, 4th-5th May.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-17] Khalid, S. and Zango, I. M. (1996) “The Reasons for the Incidence of Vesico Vaginal Fistulae (VVF) in Kano”, Journal of Social and Management Studies, Vol. 3.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-18] Ma’aji, N, I. (Undated): Between Early Marriage and Adolescent Girls in Northern Nigeria. Retrieved from: www.gamji.com/article600/NEWS7738.htmGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-19] Malhotra, A. (2010): The Causes, Consequences and Solutions to Forced Child Marriage in the Developing World: Testimony Submitted to the US House of Representatives Human Rights Commission, Washington DC. International Centre for Research on Women. Sourced from:Google Scholar ↗

[refR-20] www.icrw.org/files/images/-7-15-2010/pdfGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-21] Nwokolo, C. (2010): Counseling Against Early Marriage of the Girl Child in Anambra State; In Edo Journal of Counseling. Vol. 3, No. 1, pp 56Google Scholar ↗

[refR-22] N. P. C. (2006) National Population Commission Census News Vol. 3.1Google Scholar ↗

[refR-23] Otoo-Oryortey, N. and Pobi, S. (2003): Early Marriage and Poverty: Exploring Links and Key Policy Issues; In Gender and Development. Vol. II, No. 2, pp 42-51Google Scholar ↗

[refR-24] Pathfinder International (2006): Report on Causes and Consequences of Early Marriage in Amhara Region, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Sourced from www.pathfinder.org/publications-tools/pdfs/pdfGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-25] Population Council (2012): Child Marriage: Overview. Retrieved fromGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-26] http//www.popcouncil.org/topics/youth_child_marriage.aspGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-27] Ruba, H. (undated) Benefits of early marriage and its Islamic view. Retrieved from:Google Scholar ↗

[refR-28] http://hakeem- ruba.com/benefits-of-early-marriage.html. Sourced on 12/07/2013Google Scholar ↗

[refR-29] Sharpe, S. (1976): Just Like a Girl: Girls learn to be Women. Penguin Books. HarmondsworthsGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-30] UNFPA (2004): Child Marriage Advocacy Programme: Fact Sheet on Child Marriage and Early Union. Sourced from (2005): Child Marriage Facts Sheet. Sourced from www.unfpa.org/protection/files/child_marriage.pdfGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-31] The Forum on Marriage and the Rights of Women and Girls (2003): Early Marriage and Poverty: Exploring Links for Policy and Programme Development.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-32] UNICEF (2001): Early Marriage: Child Spouses; In Innocenti Digest, No. 7. UNICEF: Innocenti Research CentreGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-33] _______ (2005): Early Marriage: A Harmful Traditional Practice – A Statistical Exploration. Sourced fromGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-34] www.unicef.org/publications/files/Early_marriage 12./o.pdfGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-35] Westoff, C. (2003): Trends in Marriage and Early Child Bearing in Developing Countries: In DHS Comparative Reports, No. 5, DRC Macro, Calverton, Md, USAGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-36] Yin, R. K.. (1989) Case Study Research Design and Methods, Sage Publications, London.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-37] Zango, I. M. (2001) “Knowledge, Attitude and Practices About Family Planning among the Fulani in Northern Nigeria” in Journal of General Studies, Vol. 4 No. 1Google Scholar ↗