Child Marriage: A Cultural Health Phenomenon
Jeniffer Birech

Abstract
Child marriage continues to be a challenge worldwide and especially in southern Asia and Africa. While it affects both sexes, girls are more affected as they are the majority of the victims. Child marriage causes untold suffering to the victims; it curtails the child’s education, affects the general health, and puts the affected in a disadvantaged position. From this paper, culture continues to perpetuate and entrench the practice of child marriage in most communities. This paper discusses the cultural factors behind the practice of child marriage such as bride wealth, value of virginity among others. It also examines the health implications on the life of the children as well as the strategies put in place by various stakeholders in order to end the practice. The paper recommends that the communities should be actively involved in coming up with the ways of ending the practice. Awareness should be created on the negative implications of child marriage on the health of the children and their general wellbeing.

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