Topic: Eradicating Child Marriage
Country: United Kingdom
Delegate Name: Rebecca Manack
School: Williamston High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All United Kingdom position papers GLIMUN 2012 committees
The United Kingdom is appalled the vast cases of child marriage that occur in our world. Not only does the UK believe that it is a gross violation of these children’s human rights, but it also prevents the world from progress. These children who get married are more likely to drop out of school, which can lead to ignorance. This in turn makes these children less likely to have the opportunity be successful in their efforts to fit into society. Predominantly girls are affected by this lack of economic prospects, due to the fact that they are offered less educational and economic opportunities in the first place.
The fact that these marriages often are set up by a minor’s parent(s) or guardian(s) is also exceptionally distressing to the United Kingdom. We firmly believe that children should never be thought of as a burden and used to gain money or gifts associated with weddings in some cultures. These cultures, traditions, and religions do not justify tremendous morally corrupt acts of child marriage. The freedom of religion is a right that the UK feels should never be taken away, however it should never be taken advantage of either. Thus by using it as cover-up for using children to gain money in the form of child marriage should be stopped as soon as possible.
The United Kingdom would propose the option of offering incentives, loans or subsidies to families who don’t involve their child in child marriage. We believe that this measure will be effective in families who might have otherwise engaged their children in child marriage in order to gain more financial security. Thus giving these children a purpose and are no longer simply burdens. We also suggest informing not only these children of their own legal rights, but inform the community in which they live in order to educate these parents as well. The UK would also support legislation to increase the minimum age of marriage to 18, correlating with the age they are a legal adult. Along with the preventive measures we must also work to aid the children who are already engaged in the acts of child marriage. We would propose providing them the option of schooling, as well as sexual and reproductive education and services.
The United Kingdom would love to live in a world where we could immediately eradicate child marriage; however, this is highly improbable in the world we live in. Necessitating that both preventive measures and aid to those who are already involved in child marriage should appear in a resolution for the UK to support it. The United Kingdom recognizes that this is a huge issue and hopes that we will be able to curb this vile abuse of the human rights of minors, especially those of girls.
