REPORT: Syrian teenager campaigns against child marriage from Zaatari

Raneem Bou Khzam Author: Raneem Bou Khzam
Breaking Headlines
2016-04-25 | 13:27
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REPORT: Syrian teenager campaigns against child marriage from Zaatari
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2min
REPORT: Syrian teenager campaigns against child marriage from Zaatari

In Jordan's sprawling Zaatari refugee camp, one teenager is on a mission.

 

Fourteen-year old Omayma al Hushan is campaigning against child marriage, an all too familiar trend among Syrian refugees living in Jordan. 

 

Child marriage has long been an accepted practice among parts of the Syrian population, reaching 13 percent of all marriages in pre-war Syria, but the civil war has exacerbated factors believed to encourage early marriage.

 

Now having witnessed the practice of child marriage first hand, Omayma is keen to put a stop to it.

 

“Once, I entered the Saudi school, I saw many girls either say goodbye to me or say goodbye to their friends because they will be getting married. It is unbelievable, I did not think that a little girl will get married,'' said Omayma.

 

Omayma holds regular workshops and group discussions with her peers so that they too can understand the risks associated with underage marriage.

 

Child marriage, which ensnares about 10 million girls under the age of 18 every year, is banned in 88 percent of countries, but the practice persists in many parts of the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

 

But conflict also contributes to child marriage, as is seen among Syrian refugees here.

 

Omayma's parents are supportive of their daughter and her achievements and they're proud of the work that she's doing within the camp.

 

Marriage of underage Syrian girls has been on the rise in not only Jordan, but Lebanon, Egypt, Turkey and other countries in the region. Often children are married off by parents to ease the economic burden on the family.

 

 

REUTERS

 

For more details, watch the full report in the video above

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Syria

Jordan

Child marriage

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