| |
| |
Child
Marriages Common in Nations Getting US Aid |
|
|
|
New legislation being
introduced in Congress seeks to discourage child marriage in countries
receiving US aid. In 2006, $623 million in US funds went to 16 of the 20
countries with the highest rates of child marriage, according to the
Washington-based International Center for Research on Women (ICRW).
"This custom is not marriage, but rather sanctioned sexual abuse and a human
rights violation that destroys girls' lives," said Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.),
who has introduced - along with Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Chuck Hagel
(R-Neb.) - bills to require the State Department to include child marriage
statistics in its annual human rights reports on countries.
ICRW Vice President Anju Malhorta said the custom deprives girls of
education, threatens their health and that of their children, and impedes
the fight against HIV/AIDS.
"[Child brides] cannot negotiate the terms of sex" with husbands who are
usually older and more sexually experienced, said Kathleen Selvaggio, the
report's author. These young brides, she said, "can't insist on fidelity or
condom use."
The proposed legislation would authorize $100 million over four years to
discourage child marriage, which is most common in West Africa and South
Asia.
|
|
|
|
USA Today (07.17.07):: Barbara Slavin |
| |
We are providing the above information as a public
service only. Providing synopses of key scientific articles and lay
media reports on HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases
does not constitute endorsement. The above summaries were prepared
without conducting any additional research or investigation into the
facts and statements made in the articles being summarized, and
therefore readers are expressly cautioned against relying on the
validity or invalidity of any statements made in these summaries. This
CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News
Update also includes information from CDC and
other government agencies, such as background on MMWR articles, fact
sheets and announcements. |
|
|
