- 3j;Jcl~f b !JOt llfjilircJ. lll is 18. bui \\"lLlJ pa1 ~ ~]Jr_ ]f'g~d 11~t-' r:>f] 2 <11JcllJC1\.\ d H b, ~:nrmd. ln the Dr•lilinic<JJJ J:q11Jbllc th~rl' is Jh:· miJJiJ:llllll :Jgt· in e\ceptiunal ciJCl!'IJSi:i!JCc-' ~nd \'>'ilh p:11enttl COJbPJl\' Tli~ l'E HonJic Office RejrOr\ intc; lr11 c0cl of f:ritisll girls of SoutL 1\~~Ltll lJ:tJ c-llLlg~: dijtingnishes Iu1 ceJ ~nd ·dn :JJJgtcr llFtlri::ges. In <til !Jl:JJJi:Jges, t]Je iniii:Jihe is tJ];eJJ !J\' tlil' p:11 •:11ts of thr· couplt. but cumt·nt is rr·qui1 t·d f10m lJClil1 p;irint·Is and r·ltL01 k1s 1lll' right to 1\ithrlrzm. Ho\\ner, the pn·~·;mes fmm pal ents lllfl} be wry high, C:Jll Ycn1lig gills may cmhirP misny ~s a result of e;11ly m<uJiagr aucl t]Jl' ntl!llU('J of those 11lio 1\oulcl set·L lwlp, if they thought it existc"d, is impcmilJle to r<lkubte. Until more is l.nown about their sitti<Jtion tlJtre e<lll be no relLJ!J]e estima10s of the _,cJle CJf t]Jcir pmlic<Jllll'lll, or of the social d:11nage tlJ<!l b GJrried forward in the lJjJlJJingiug liH·y gin: to their own cllilchcn. One thing is chw: the imparl of rwly m<Jr!lag~ on girls- :mel to alesseJ extent on l1oys- io \\ idn:1nging. \Vi thin a rigl1ts perp~clivc, three l;cy couccnJs a1e t]Je denial of clJildlJoocl ;mel ;Jclolc·sccnce, th£ cutt;JilJlJi•nl of pcrsoml frccrJrJnJ and tlw L1ck of opporl\mity to dc·\'l·lop " full scme of selfhood <IS \\ell as the denial of psyclJmocial <lllcl emotional \\ell-being. reproductiVE' kclth and (·duc;Jti(JIJ~!l OjlfiCil tunitY. Early !llarriagr~ ;d.'>o lia.l implic:1tiom for the 11 cll-lwing c,f fan1ilh~~., and for socic·ty as a \\'hole. Where girls are unc·duc:Jl1_-d :lllcl ill-]Mjl:ncd for tliei1 mh·s as rnuthus fJIHl cc,ntriuutors to society, tliere arc cost:: to be· lJCrmc: at every le-veL from tl1c individnill household to the n;;tioJJ as a 1Yl1ok Psychosocial disadvantage Tl1e los' of adoksc0JJCC, tlic forced semal reLJtirllls. and tl1c denial of !JtNlom and pr·rsc,nal de \·elo]J!lll'lli ailr·ml:nJt on early JllilfTLlg~ km· JIIOfuuncl p:yrJJOsociill and en1utionill coJN!jllences, The illlp;wt Cell lw subtle ;u 1cl imiclious ancl tl1e dan1agc· knd to as~css ll include•.> such intrmgihle factors Jnd llw yuunga tlie b1id•c ur gic1mL t1E less Icc! cli:mce thm:' is lCJ r\t-rciw !L', 1i?ht. Buth l\jil'S of Jlllrli1gr ind cJlr ihr dr·gJce to 1\]Jic]J nnny S11cidies Yk\Y IiliJJas a fJmih a!J-Jir in 1\lJich tl1l" Yil\\~ of pcnpk ollie; tlm1 the conplc ;ue j'llcilil_\. f'<lll'IJts' lilci'.S 1\ilJ d: :i!Jd nkn's \Yill ownid~ \'. umcll·::ntn Lil:ing pr~c2dd1Ce u\u tht Lm. C:tses oi mn:n'. <1} bridL'o ldglilight !lie i~sue of comcnt- or ];!Ck of ii. ln il1e: Connnission on tl1e St;1tus of WcrJJJCll n·purled in HIS~I: "iii ell :11 t CIJI!~LIIItll fighting to Jelrinc their 1mmen lwc;J\IS\' they lm'e run ~\\'Jy'.'· There a1e repo1l•: the effect of a girls lms of mobilHy <lllU lH:l confinrllll'llt to the home anclto hold roles. Obviomly thm is a ll!.lJLed of rl:1ta in these areas, ;mel soci;J] Jesc-arcliers ha\·e failed to ex;nnine the illi]Wts of ea1 ly niJII in this context. l\1osl girls wl1o ;ne unhajJ]JY in aJJ imposcclnJarri<lge are very isobtccl. They 1El\'e nobody to talk to as they are .)Urrouncled by pc·ople who endorse their situation. In EtlJiopia, Inter-African Con1miltee researchers were struc L by tl1c L1ck of interest f10m elders in the trfll!Jn<:s suffered by young girls as a result of rflily maniagcs, pr~mature sex end c!Jildk'.lling. Tlwse traumas \\We regmled as <111 "un:Jvoicbblc part of life".~ Girls ll'iJo run ]JOJ]][' to tlJcir varcnts may b~ lwatc·n and sent b:KL to tllr~ir hmb;mcls. Dislr~s:, i' gene-rally endured in silPnce. Jnrli<lll researclll'rs on clJilclmzJn iflge in f:<li<Jsthan and Madhya Pr;Jdesll sti1te 1l1:1t girl spouses suffer more tl1an boys: 'IIIflrlcquC~te socializction, discontiiJU:1tiC1ll of education, great physiologic;!] and c·mutinnJl clcnnge clue to Il'peat(~d ]J! l'~­ JI(lllcies de\ilstates these girls."lf the husL;md dies, cwn bdore consumn1~1tiun. tLE girl is treated JS 3 widow and ginn in n:r,J to a v.ido\\H in the family. O!flci"lly she is then his wife, but in fact under tl1e pr<rcticE' of nata she becoml'S the comnJOII propc1ty of alltlw men in the fflmily.'' Tl1e child briclr' wl1o is widowed very young can suf!~r arlditiCJnal cli:,crimimtioJL Wirlows suffer loss of statm :mel !]J('\ \\"1\·c .c, b~. JnJL. 01 latL(:lH!.~ in Lei luc kt'd 1.1} 1 1<,· llh_ i: ;1~JCJ Jn Zi:JJ]r-d~\'.L 1 i1 i~ or~-!J Lilnily uutil ~lll_' g(lt~.\ t]JL·rt_-' c hiitll \lJ lH iJJ.Il cl1ild.' ln ur:l· in a 1 c;:r-cld p:- her oH;l; t],e~\ Lc l!l:l\ htL\11:!!1~ lllt HI J;:11 <1\\i1\ :,c1 ll•:r kp tu j)][\!·ll\ lJt l She• ~ti11'.lljlll'nlh Ti,r CHC CcmiJiil!e•: has iuu:~rcl un L:\':~ ;·quJ t U5lOJJlS in it~ olJst·r\;~ilcnJ\ tc' a Jjjjji!IJLI uf CC:IIIJtri~s. ]b IJJliol Cul'J1ll(i>J art lu\\' miJJi!!i\11:1 ;;gc loJ gills - tll\'il'kl:f fo1 gill:; ;:nc]]JO\S JS }'J'I]'t·lt)' Df otl!u ln p~!iis of Ail a 1\irlu\'. i~. rcnJ::Jril'cl to " bru1lil'l-in-LI\\, a custom l;nm\'n as l·dr;Jit 01 intl'nrlccl. i11 part, to pruYidc r·c OIJumic and ~c,ci;d suppul t. lf the \\irlow n,,i,:ts, slw Imy lie' c:1st out by t]Jc Liillily. ChilrJ widows 1\itlJiitile erll!caUon :mel no Jilc·ans of t·:m1ing a1 e C'SjH'cially lJO\H·J lcso.. At a HiD4 Confe1 tncc in B::n;_;:alore, lncliJ. p:lrlicipants told oi being mmiccl at fin anrl si\ years old, 1rirlm\ecl a few yem later, allCI nj<•cled by tliei1 in-Lms ancl 1JJL'ir 0\\11 l:nnilil s." TIJcse 11 icluws <lie, quitl' si!iiply. ldi \\'it!Jnu re~n\llc cs a;JClJJO\\'lJL're to gc•. htl!ll:JIJI A.dolescent hea!th and reproduction 'Tile notiCJII of goCid JE]•JOrluctilo LrC1l1lt CCJ\l'JS alJ ?.SJWC!S of the· ll']JJOd\illiuJ, p10cesc, - inclucl!m> a <iJJd s?.ft experience of snnal relatic,m. tlJE· copobili1)' lCi rep:orJIJce. and the fu \-dom l c; d•·c idL if and wl1tn to bear a cl1:ld' Tl1e right 1101 to in srxll<Jl retiir,m end tl1r: t(J t:·:t·Jci'c contrr•l CI\E'f ll']'JuriilriirJl! JlJ:J\ both llf' \ ic,JcJtul bv r•;Jrly lllilli Sexual re!c;fions In the C1SC' of girls JJI(]Jiifcl bcfnJe pu1Jcily, tl1e nnnrFJl unclc~rstl!Jrling bcl\\t·en f:lJnilir·s is tl!Jt lhw· will be no sexu;d iliterCCJUr::'' until first Jlli'Ji:.trl!itliun. l11 (;rJi<1lll, 0