Topic: Eradicating Child Marriage
Country: Denmark
Delegate Name: Xiaohong Tan
School: Fishers High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Denmark position papers GLIMUN 2012 committees
The government of Denmark provides equal education for girls, thus it has already taken a step to protect girls against child marriage and provide them an opportunity to make a better life for themselves, their families, and their communities.
Denmark is against child marriage, and the government of Denmark already has a written law that states marriage for people must be 18 or above. Child marriage endangers the girls’ health and their personal growth. No countries should be practicing child marriage because it is a violation of human rights. Denmark will continue to foster the education of all girls because this is one of the best strategies to protect girls against child marriage, thus the government of Denmark asks for all countries to begin providing equal opportunity for all girls because education means bringing in economic benefits. The enrollment of girls in school will protect them from complicated pregnancies and births.
Denmark understands that in some countries, child marriage is due to religious law, but today is already the 21st century. Girls should not be burden by religious laws that have already been set hundreds or even thousands years ago. Denmark believes that all countries should keep going on the pace and ideals of how the world is evolving now. The government of Denmark would be glad to provide to the countries that are lagging behind.
Denmark strongly opposes child marriage. A girl’s early marriage should not be govern by economic reasons, control over sexuality, customs and traditions, and security. If a girl is educated, she would receive the security and economy that she wants.
Article 1 of the Convention of the Rights of the Child defines a child as “every human being below the age of eighteen.” Therefore, no girls should marry before the age of eighteen unless with the consent of high commissioners.
Again, Denmark states that education is the best solution to eradicate child marriage because it will decrease girls’ vulnerability. It would decrease the amount of sexually transmitted disease being widely spread. Girls will be educated on how to live a life especially a life that they have controlled over. The government of Denmark calls on the international community to practice the statements that has been proposed on the International Day of Girl Child 2012 which is to:
•Enforce the marriage age of 18 to be written as a law in all countries
•Provide better quality of primary and secondary education
