A study commissioned by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) identified cultural and religious norms, poverty, and weak enforcement of child protection laws as primary drivers of child marriages in the provinces of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.
In a report, ‘Understanding Factors Driving Child, Early, and Forced Marriage and Unions (CEFMU),’ focused on the two provinces and launched on Tuesday, Unicef said that child marriage continued to jeopardize the future of thousands of children in Jolo, the capital of Sulu, and in Bongao, the capital of Tawi-Tawi.
It also said the Philippines ranked 12th in the world in terms of the absolute number of child marriages, with 1 in every 6 girls married before they turned 18.
Patricia Lim Ah Ken, child protection chief of Unicef Philippines, said the international body commissioned the study, with support from the Australian government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, to identify gaps in understanding child marriage in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, and to inform targeted interventions and policies that foster a protective environment for all vulnerable children.
‘Several studies showed that child marriage remains a deep-rooted issue in the Philippines, depriving thousands of girls of their childhood, of their education, and of their futures,’ Ken said during the study’s virtual launch on Tuesday.
She cited the National Demographic and Health Survey, which showed that nine percent of girls marry at the age of 18, some as young as 13; and that in 2023, more than 12,000 adolescent girls entered marriage, a statistic that is four times greater than boys.
Among the contributing factors were poverty, limited education, cultural norms, and legal ambiguity, she said.
‘While the national poverty incidence rate from 2021 to 2023 has been reduced overall, BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) still has the highest rate at 40.1 per cent. This compounds the risk for girls to marry or enter into a union, cutting short their education and limiting their ability to participate in civic life and leadership,’ she said.
The study highlighted how these drivers persisted despite the passage of Republic Act 11596, or the Act Prohibiting the Practice of Child Marriage in 2022; legislation alone was not enough to end the practice.
In 2021, the Bangsamoro Women Commission estimated that 88,600 girls had been married before they turned 18. A survey conducted by Plan International and the Women’s Refugee Commission revealed that for every 100 girls in BARMM, 15 are married before age 18, two are married before age 15 – figures significantly higher than the national average.
The study found that in many cases, early marriage is seen as a way to avoid what is considered haram, a term in the Muslim faith referring to actions forbidden by Islamic law, such as premarital relationships or pregnancies outside marriage.
Families facing economic hardship may also view marriage as an escape from financial difficulties.
These factors place children, especially young girls, at risk of losing their right to education, being forced into adult responsibilities before they are ready, according to Unicef. At the same time, early pregnancy among girls further compounds their risk to health, safety, and overall well-being.
Among Unicef’s key recommendations is to keep girls in school by expanding scholarships and alternative learning systems for those at risk of dropping out, supporting families economically through livelihood and women’s empowerment programs so that early marriage would not be seen as the only option to end or minimize poverty; and working with religious and community leaders to challenge harmful norms and promote child rights.
‘Every girl deserves the chance to grow into adulthood with dignity, health, and hope. Child marriage and early unions can interrupt education, compromise health, and place girls in roles they are not yet ready for, including motherhood. UNICEF stands with communities of every faith and tradition to protect girls and uphold their right to choose their future,’ said Ken./coa