Abstract:
The study was conducted at Tadze in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region. It
examined the nature of child marriage vis-à-vis national and international legal
frameworks on child marriage. This is a qualitative study that adopted descriptive design
using the phenomenological approach. The concept “child” and “child marriage” were
used in this context that “a child means every human being below the age of 18 years”
and “child marriage” and “child brides” as well as “early marriage” as used
interchangeably in this study, “as a formal marriage/informal union before age 18”.Ten
(10) child marriage victims were sampled through snowball and purposive maximum
variation sampling techniques. Data were gathered using a semi-structured interview, and
focused group discussion guides. The qualitative data was transcribed and presented in
themes as narratives, verbatim or direct quotations. The study revealed that child
marriage in the Tadze community occurs through a forcibly arranged marriage between
an adult man and families of the victim (usually after the girl is put in a family way)
without the consent or will of the child. Traditional, customary, religious practices and
social norms, poverty, and a poor educational or employment opportunities predispose
girls to child marriage in the community. It was recommended that the South Tongu
District Assembly with FBOs, NGOs, CSOs, as well as media institutions should
intensify advocacy, education and awareness creation, improve access to quality primary
and secondary education for girls, and in liaising with CHRAJ, DOVVSU of the Ghana
Police Service, Social Welfare Department, and International Federation of Women
Lawyers enforce existing laws that abolish harmful traditional practices such as child
marriage.
Description:
A THESIS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION,
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES EDUCATION, SUBMITTED TO THE
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION,
WINNEBA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
AWARD OF MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY (HUMAN RIGHTS) DEGREE
OCTOBER, 2015