American Journal of Legal Practice (AJLP)

BEYOND TRADITION: DECODING THE RAMIFICATIONS OF GIRLCHILD MARRIAGES AS AN AFFRONT TO GLOBAL WOMEN’S RIGHTS

Authors

  • Foluke Abimbola Olatunji Faculty of Law, Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria
  • Adebayo Olawale Akande Faculty of Law, Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract


This abstract scrutinizes the international commitment to combat inhuman treatment, with a specific focus on the condemnation of girlchild marriage as a pervasive violation of human rights within the global framework. Rooted in the principles enshrined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the condemnation of inhuman treatment is particularly pronounced for individuals necessitating heightened protection, notably women. The United Nations (UN) emerges as a pivotal force actively engaged in efforts to diminish the global prevalence of girl-child marriage. The narrative navigates through crucial milestones, starting with the adoption of a landmark resolution by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2011. This resolution marked a seminal moment, designating October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child, spotlighting the urgency to address egregious human rights violations such as child marriage. The inaugural celebration on October 11, 2012, centered its theme on ending child marriage, setting the stage for concerted international actions. In 2013, the United Nations Human Rights Council further fortified the commitment by adopting the first resolution against child, early, and forced marriages. This resolution formally acknowledges child marriage as a violation of human rights, pledging to eradicate the practice as an integral part of the UN’s post-2015 global development agenda. Subsequently, in 2014, the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women solidified this commitment by issuing a document outlining strategies to eliminate child marriage. These collective efforts underscore the enduring influence of the UDHR, acting as a potent moral compass for the international community. The abstract emphasizes the global expectation for nations to adhere to established international rules and standards, resonating with the UDHR's fundamental principle that "human beings (including children) are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

Keywords:

Human Rights, GirlChild Marriage, International Day of the Girl Child, United Nations, Universal Declaration of Human Rights

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Published

2024-01-29

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10572789%20

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 1 (2024): January-March

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Olatunji , F. A., & Akande, A. O. (2024). BEYOND TRADITION: DECODING THE RAMIFICATIONS OF GIRLCHILD MARRIAGES AS AN AFFRONT TO GLOBAL WOMEN’S RIGHTS . American Journal of Legal Practice (AJLP), 9(1), 12–21. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10572789

License

Copyright (c) 2023 Foluke Abimbola Olatunji , Adebayo Olawale Akande

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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