Child Marriage in Thailand: A Hidden Crisis

Description of the Problem 

The issue 

The contemporary world has witnessed a massive change in various cultural adaptations owing to the structural changes being experienced in various societies. Developing countries in particular have been observed to adopt the modern norms, behaviors and attitudes of the advanced world. Regardless of this, some social problems are still far from being addressed. Child marriages, for instance, appear as one of the greatest evils still being practiced in most of the developing nations. Child marriage has been defined as any union formal or informal whereby one or both of the spouses is below 18 years ( Sharp & Hanks, 2018 ). According to United Nations International Children`s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), 1 in 5 girls across the world get married before 18 years. Moreover, each year 12 million girls are forced into such unions, which translates to 23 girls each minute ( Sharp & Hanks, 2018 ). In addition to this, up to 650 million women in the present-day world were married as children. This alone indicates the gravity of the situation. Currently, India holds the record for the country with the highest incidences of child marriages at 15509000 individuals; all who were married as children. Thailand has is presently ranked at position 19 among the countries with the highest rates of child marriages across the world ( Yeung, Desai & Jones, 2018 ). According to a case study conducted by UNICEF, 543,000 individuals in Thailand are married before they turn 18 years old. The same study conducted in 2017 further indicates that 4% of children are married by the time they reach 15years, with 23% being married by 18 years ( Yeung, Desai & Jones, 2018 ). One would have to infer to the history of child marriages in order to get a clearer understanding on how the situation turned to be the way it appears presently. 

Historical Background 

The cultural practices in Thailand led to the implementation of policies, most of which were tailored towards the promotion of child marriage. This explains why despite the constant advancement in the country, the issue of child marriages has become recurrent. Around 50 years ago, the “Asian Miracle” occurred in East Asia owing to the economic developments that were being experienced. A lot of theories have emerged regarding how this occurred, however, the most elaborate one regards the implementation of policies and economic plans ( Iyabode, 2011 ). During this duration the government of Thailand devised economic plans that were targeting the advancement of various regions, particularly the rural areas. As a result, the livelihood of communities living in such places was improved with a debilitation of child marriages occurring, since a majority of families were motivated to keep their children, especially the girls in school. 

Cultural values, the Perpetrators and how the Child marriages occur 

In a similar way to other societies in the world, the cultural values of Thailand have experienced changes over time. It is, nevertheless, worthy to note that some traditions have persisted in light of the new advancements. Most certainly, the social and economic developments are responsible for the obstinacy to change. One particularly predominant ancient customs in the Thailand tradition is the preservation of a young girl`s virginity until she is married. This would serve to indicate that sex was a practice that was only allowed in marriage, and failure to adhere to this was a violation to cultural norms and beliefs. In this case, the society mostly assumed that Thailand girls remained virgins until marriage. The men were, nonetheless, not expected to conform to such requirements. Also, presently, most of the individuals who grow up in the urban regions of Thailand may not be entirely in agreement with such beliefs. This notwithstanding, those who live in rural regions still hold on to the belief of virginity ( Limanonda, 1995 ). In the event that a girl was to lose her virginity, it is expected that she informs the mother in order for them to present some offerings to the spirits in a bid to beg for forgiveness. If such a girl chooses not to inform the parent, it is expected that one of the members of their family would fall ill. This mostly occurs to the mother. Moreover, individuals found to have engaged in premarital relations were held accountable. Besides, the community still holds the belief that girls who engage in premarital relations are not eligible for marriage since most men will not be interested in marrying them. interestingly, despite both parties being involved in promiscuity, only the girl`s character is denigrated. 

The formerly mentioned beliefs are taught to the young girls in the villages in a bid to instill fear in them and prevent them from participating in sexual relations before they are married. The Thailand sources of beliefs mainly emanate from the social structure which requires that the male individuals take up the more dominant roles with the women acting as subordinates. The man is responsible for taking care of the family with the woman catering for the domestic responsibilities. Also, the Thai culture is matrilineal such that the youngest daughter is subject to inheritance of the agricultural assets of her family. Also, unlike in a matrilocal society whereby a woman leaves her family to join her husband, the matrilineal structure requires the husband to leave his family and join his wife. This essentially implies that the women bear some form of dominance which is why their sanctity is highly regarded. 

Under the ancient law in Thailand, polygamy was considered as a legal practice. In this case, the men were expected to have three wives, namely: The major, minor and slave wife ( Sharp & Hanks, 2018 ). The first wife was Mia Klang Muang who was married with her parent`s consent. Men were also permitted to have more than a single major wife. Her major responsibility was catering for the family`s needs. With mia klang the minor wife taking care of the husband. Mia klang thasi the slave wife was, on the other hand, sanctioned to do anything that her husband desired; she only became free once the husband was dead ( Sharp & Hanks, 2018 ). This practice of marrying many wives consequently led to child marriages whereby the man would marry early in life as they constantly sought to get more wives later on. 

Consequently, the lifestyle in both the urban and rural centers of Thailand differ entirely; an aspect which is predominant in law enforcement ( Sharp & Hanks, 2018 ). Despite there being laws which are meant to protect citizens from ancient practices, the cultural traditions are rife in the rural surroundings owing to the idea that the residents of such areas adhere to traditional laws. In Thailand, the minimum marriage age is 17 years for all individuals. This is, nonetheless, not adhered to in the rural areas since it is not unusual for adolescents to marry. Young Thailand men are assigned to responsibilities such as managing family land and property early in their lives; an aspect that readies them for marriage. Contrary to this, marriages in urban regions mostly occur between 28 and 35 years between individuals from both genders ( Sharp & Hanks, 2018 ). The level of education directly correlates to marriage, and it can be observed that the more literate woman has less children compared to the illiterate one. This is based on the idea that marriages act as hindrances to the girl’s advancement in education, since most of them are forced to leave school and become wives. This was established by a case study research by the U.S. National Research Council which further discovered that women who were more exposed to education took longer to get married. 

Comparatively, child marriages are believed to have been contributed by the decreased fertility rates especially in the 1960s. During this period, the rate of fertility was 6.4 ( Sharp & Hanks, 2018 ). It was, however, slightly above the average for developing countries across the world. This rate, however, dropped in the 1980s to 3.6, at which point Thailand held the third lowest fertility rate in the world (John, Aphichat Chamratrithirong & Nibhon Debavalya, 1987). This is based on a case study conducted by the United Nations ( Sharp & Hanks, 2018 ). The rate of contraception was very high owing to the idea that most girls were married early. Individuals between15-44 held a 65 percent contraception by 1984 ( Sharp & Hanks, 2018 ). Additionally, one ought to note that incidences of child marriages may not be that common, however, the Hmong people are responsible for a majority of the cases recorded. 

Hmong culture in Thailand holds a special significance for the existence of large extended families under one household. Moreover, the children grow to be obedient and, therefore, respect their elders. The men, on the other hand, are at liberty to marry as many wives as they are capable of handling. The economic convenience brought about by marrying many wives is, however, the chief reason why the men engage in the practice. The young girls are also taught how to manage domestic responsibilities at a young age. Once they have managed to master such skills, they are considered ready for marriage. Most of the marriages occurs among the girls aged between 14 and 18 years; a majority of which are arranged by the parents (John, Aphichat Chamratrithirong & Nibhon Debavalya, 1987). Also judging from the idea that the girls are very obedient, most of them consent to the practice of early marriage and hence little or no force is applied. Despite this, a study conducted by a child development center in the Hmong community showed that some of the girls who are as young as 13 years are forced to marry men who are twice as old as they are (John, Aphichat Chamratrithirong & Nibhon Debavalya, 1987). Going against the parents` wishes is considered to be disrespectful and hence the girls do not dare violate such requirements. 

Discussion 

This study examined Child marriages in Thailand. Child marriage constitutes a human rights violation regardless of whether the victim consents to the practice or not. It is, therefore, an unwarranted practice which has plagued the society, and also one which necessitates to the exterminated by all means possible. This is due to the fact that the act leads to deleterious consequences for the many children (Arthur, 2017). Moreover, subjecting a child to this kind of marriage ends up placing them in a situation whereby the relationship between them and their parents is destroyed impulsively. It is also apparent that child marriages have persisted especially in southern Asia and Africa, and despite affecting individuals from both genders, the girls are the most affected by its occurrence ( Birech, 2013 ). Moreover, one of the greatest repercussions of this marriage is that it disrupts the education of children especially in the current modernized world. Regardless of the emergence of stringent laws seeking to inhibit the occurrence of this practice, it is still prevalent mostly in the rural regions. These are areas where individuals are confined to unrelenting traditional beliefs. 

According to Warria (2017), the participants of child marriages often argue that the union is justifiable since the male individual is deemed to be “mature.” He is, therefore, deemed to be more responsible than younger individuals and is more likely to educate the young bride regarding the customs and traditions of the community. Thailand child protection laws fortified in 2003, however, indicated that it is unlawful for anyone under 17 years to marry or engage in any form of sexual indulgence with a minor. Southern provinces, however, have an Islamic tradition which acts as a basis for such marriages since the Islamic faith in the region appears to support such unions. As a result, most individuals apply the Islamic religion to matters pertaining to child marriages. In which case they argue that nothing wrong has occurred since the practice has been supported by religious discourses. Moreover, the constant persistence of the authorities to overlook incidences of child marriages have further aided in the progression of the practice. Additionally, in the event that a girl is not married by the time she is 16 years old, it appears that marriage has been delayed for too long (Warria, 2017). This is, therefore, used to justify this kind of union. 

It is also fundamental to note that there are many factors that come into play especially when the idea of child marriages occurs. For instance, parents may be forced to subject their daughters to the practice owing to their impoverished state ( John, Aphichat Chamratrithirong & Nibhon Debavalya, 1987 ). This occurs where dowry is offered in exchange for the girl`s hand in marriage. The idea that the girl will bring some wealth in form of bride prize to the family is comforting to them and acts as an encouragement for the practice to be conducted. This can essentially offer an explanation on why the Hmong people in Thailand encourage the idea of child marriages. On average, individuals in the community make $1.60 each day ( John, Aphichat Chamratrithirong & Nibhon Debavalya, 1987 ). In a bid to alleviate the financial burden on the family, marrying them off becomes the only solution for most of the parents. Also, some parents feel that the marriage is bound to offer protection to their daughter. Others see it as a source of honor which is meant to edify their family. Such obsolete beliefs are part of the reason why child marriages are still prevalent despite human civilization. Moreover, despite resulting in early pregnancy, child marriages also contribute to social isolation whereby the young girl becomes distant from her peers. Dishearteningly, it is also possible that the girl will end up become a victim of domestic abuse. 

While dwelling on the latter premise, one can observe that domestic violence is prevalent in most child marriages. This may arise initially where the girl fails to consent to carnal knowledge in which case the husband turns violent. A case study was conducted in 2018 seeking to establish the prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in 4 regions within Thailand. In order to enhance the credibility of the study, standardized questionnaires were utilized, similar to the ones formerly used in the World Health Organization multi country study relating to the heath of women and domestic violence ( Chuemchit et al., 2018 ). In the course of the case study, up to two thousand four hundred and sixty two women were interviewed. Out of the entire group, 15% cited incidents of partner violence within one year prior to the study. Other aspects were also involved in the study. For example, psychological violence accounted for 60-68% of the cases with sexual violence being mentioned by 62-63% of those interviewed ( Chuemchit et al., 2018 ). In addition, the women indicated that the men who were more controlling were more likely to be perpetrators of domestic violence. 

According to a study conducted by the World Health Organization in 2016, it was reported that 1 in 3 women globally ends up being a victim of domestic violence ( Chuemchit et al., 2018 ). A majority of such incidences are rampant in child marriages. IPV cases in Thailand remain a private family affair since they are tantamount to destroying a union between two individuals. As a result, a majority of women end up enduring IPV from the instance they become married up until the end of their marriage. Some of them become free when their partner dies. The only girls who report such incidences to the police or other people are those who have experienced severe violence ( Chuemchit et al., 2018 ). For example, when they are beaten, it may be impossible for them to hide the scars and bruises, in which case they are left with no option but to notify the authorities to prevent the issue from becoming fatal. In 2015, for instance, police were notified of 460 IPV cases, 373 of which were taken to court ( Chuemchit et al., 2018 ). 

Children married early also experience domestic violence in the course of their expectancy. A cohort study was further undertaken in 2006 among the pregnant women in a bid to establish the occurrence of IPV. Out of the entire group of participants, 421 of them were in their last trimester of pregnancy. The results indicated that 53.7% of the women experienced psychological violence, 26.6% physical violence and 19.2% sexual violence ( Chuemchit et al., 2018 ). This indicates the kind of suffering that children subjected to early marriages have to undergo. The idea that they are unable to report such cases to their parents is a clear depiction of the already distorted relationship which occurred when the guardians consented to handing over their daughter. In addition to this, those who report such incidences are convinced to withstand such occurrences since they occur in all marriages. Also a comparison was made between urban and rural women who experience incidences of IPV in Thailand. It emerged that such cases occur among 4.7% of urban women and 31.3% of rural women ( Chuemchit et al., 2018 ). What one can infer from this is that IPV cases were most common where child marriages were involved. 

The Domestic Violence experienced by women in child marriages has mostly been linked to some of the health problems they end up experiencing. The consequences are such that child marriages impact on the sexual, physical, mental and reproductive health of young girls. Regardless of the increased awareness pertaining to the damaging effects of such marriages in Thailand, most of the individuals have chosen to ignore this ( Chuemchit, Chernkwanma, Somrongthong & Spitzer, 2018 ). Most people including the authorities in Thailand often underestimate the prevalence of domestic violence which often emanates from early marriages. In another case study conducted in 2015 to investigate the impact of domestic violence in Thailand marriages, four-fifths of the participants indicated that it resulted to adverse physical and mental health issues ( Chuemchit et al., 2018 ). The most common injuries experienced by the victims were bruises (74.8%), Sprains (56.1%), cuts (15.9%), eye injuries (11.2%), broken bones or teeth (6.5%) and deep cuts (6.5%) ( Chuemchit et al., 2018 ). This illustrates how serious the issue is. 

Child marriages can be equated to other serious crimes such as child trafficking. This is based on the idea that by relinquishing custody of a child and entrusting them to an alleged mature man, parents are unknowingly selling of their children. The form of payment received in form of dowry is equivalent to the money earned by child traffickers. Also, based on the idea that the practice is prohibited by the laws of Thailand, this makes it as grievous as child trafficking is ( John, Aphichat Chamratrithirong & Nibhon Debavalya, 1987 ). Moreover, a majority of children end up not wanting to hear from their parents owing to their betrayal ( John, Aphichat Chamratrithirong & Nibhon Debavalya, 1987 ). In addition to this, girls married at a young age miss out from many of the opportunities available to their peers. In this case most of them end up in abject poverty just like their parents, since they never got an opportunity to complete their education. They end up becoming casual workers while fulfilling the domestic duties assigned to them. There is, therefore, a dire need for the government to work out some effective ways of exterminating the vice. 

Prevention Practices 

Local law Enforcement Agencies 

One of the effective measures that has been utilized by local law enforcement agencies to curb child marriages is the establishment of Kao Kor Grace, a child development center based in Thailand. In order to reach out to the parents of these children, the organization assures them that their chief aim is to ensure they eradicate poverty. One of the preventative measures introduced by the organization is afterschool tutoring where young individuals are educated regarding the practice and establishment of health programs. These are initiatives that encouraged the parents to allow their children to attend lessons being offered by the organization, especially those belonging to the Hmong community. Besides, the incentives offered prevents the young girls from experiences problems that are likely to result from being married early such as divorce and violence. Also, individuals in Thailand are being mobilized to stand against child marriages. A good example was witnessed in July 2018, when activists came out protesting the marriage of an 11 year old girl to a 41 year old Malaysian man ( Warria, 2017 ). 

Laws have also been devised in order to prevent early marriage practices in Thailand. For instance, in the latter case, if the Malaysian individual was to engage in any sexual act with the young girl he would violate the sexual (Act) which outlaws sexual activities with children below 13 years ( Warria, 2017 ). The punishment for such an action is 10 years imprisonment. Also, the Child`s Protection Act which serves to protect children from exploitation could be applied and the individual held liable for child abuse. 

International Efforts 

International efforts from non-governmental organizations have also played a significant role in remedying the problem. For instance, they have played a primary role by influencing the government and policymakers to come up with laws seeking to protect children and also to amend some of those which have been ineffective by failing to provide such assistance. Also they have successfully reached out to communities to educate them about the harmful effects of child marriages. Some organizations such as United Nations International Child`s Emergency Fund and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) have taken up the role of funding initiatives meant to annihilate child marriages. This has been touted as a global initiative to prevent marriage of young children at the expense of other important needs. 

Owing to such funding, initiatives have already been rolled out in Asia, Africa and the Middle East where the rates of child marriages are extremely high. Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin the UNFPA Executive Directed indicated that the decision on who to marry is one of the most important ones made by individuals in their lives (UNFPA and International Parenthood Planning Foundation, 2006). Some of the activities that have already been initiated include the increase education and health services especially for individuals living in deprived regions. UNICEF Thailand, on the other hand, already has 50 members of staff all who are devising ways of enhancing protection among the victims of child marriages (UNFPA and International Parenthood Planning Foundation, 2006). Some of the programs already in place seek to: Address disparity, promote holistic childhood development, offer quality education, protect children from abuse, neglect and exploitation, and strengthen social protection for children. 

The Role of UN and other International Agencies in resolving Child Marriages 

In 2016, the United Nations (UN) adopted a second resolution regarding early child and forced marriage during its 71 congregation. This is an effort that was supported by more than 100 UN member states ( SADC GENDER PROTOCOL, 2018 ). One of the chief aims of the resolution is to create an international political will meant to end child marriage. It is also meant to acknowledge the harmful impact of the marriages and hence create awareness on the need to eradicate them. Accountability is also expected from the government on efforts to end child marriages with funding being offered to nations such as Thailand where the issue is predominant ( SADC GENDER PROTOCOL, 2018 ). The United Nations has also recognized gender inequality and devised measures of restoring equality since this is one of the leading causes of child marriages. Moreover, through funding initiatives, it has become possible for the UN to lessen conditions such as insecurity, poverty and illiteracy, since these have been viewed as some of the factors that lead children into early marriages. 

Positive Implications 

Efforts to ending child marriages have managed to receive support from a majority of the nations. The United Member States have for instance approved efforts meant to eradicate the practice in their countries by welcoming efforts from non-governmental organizations seeking to fund projects against child marriages. They have also consented to roles and responsibilities stipulated by the United Nations which every member nation is expected to adhere to. For example, the requirement to offer an update regarding the progress made towards ending Child, Early, and Forced Marriage (CEFM) ( Warria, 2017 ). The progress is to be included in their reports to the international treaty bodies via the High Level Political Forum (HLFP) ( SADC GENDER PROTOCOL, 2018 ). Also, a majority of nations including Thailand have supported the idea of educating individuals on the harmful effects of child marriages and also agreed to come up with more stern laws geared towards eradicating CEFM ( SADC GENDER PROTOCOL, 2018 ). The incentives have aided in a great way towards ending child marriages where such occurrences are rampant. 

Negative Implications 

Despite the willingness to assist communities in addressing the problem of child marriages, the propagators of such initiatives have been met with open hostility. In some areas of Thailand, for instance, particularly in the southern regions, the initiators of programs meant to end child marriages lack the moral support required to undertake such initiatives (SADC GENDER PROTOCOL, 2018) . This indicates how resistant the residents are to change. Some, organizations have, however, devised measures seeking to lure the residents to join the programs, for instance, by promising to elevate their lives. Also, some of the local leaders end up inciting the locals by telling them that the policies seeking to be introduced are tantamount to depleting their cultural norms. It is, therefore, a high time that those seeking to start programs meant to eliminate child marriages to: Involve community leaders, express their desire to maintain the cultural traditions of the people involved since this is likely to achieve the desired goals. 

References  

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