Answer:
The impact of early marriage manifests in many ways
One of the reported effects of early marriage is that girls leave school. This means that girls lose the opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills. Leaving school also takes them away from friends and spaces where they develop social skills and networks as well as support systems.
Another is the loss of adolescence since most married individuals immediately take on adult roles and responsibilities. This can be very stressful.
There are also severe reproductive and health risks, abuse of victims’ human rights and a high risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases.
Some experts also report an association between child marriage and poor health, teenage pregnancy, high child mortality and low agency.
Studies indicate that most married girls are usually not cognitively, physically and psychologically prepared to take on the role of being a wife and a mother.
There have been attempts to put a stop to child marriage. The Children’s Act of Ghana specifically prohibits the betrothal or marriage of a child. It gives the child the right to refuse either. And, six years ago, Ghana’s Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection set up a unit to end child marriages
Several governmental and nongovernmental organisations are also working to end the practice in Ghana
These interventions have had some positive effect as the number of child marriages has come down. But a lot remains to be done
