It is estimated that the number of child brides in Egypt hovers around 17 percent, according Girls Not Brides, an NGO fighting against child marriage around the world.
Numerous factors contribute to the problem in the country, such as poverty, illiteracy and a poor economy that has left 40 percent of Egyptians living under the poverty line. The double standard many Egyptian families have when it comes to their sons versus their daughters is also a leading cause of child marriage.
Many families believe that a girl's only role in life is to marry and become a mother. Thus, educating a daughter is not essential and selling their child for the highest dowry, often to an older man, becomes an attractive option.
Parents can be unaware of the physical and psychological trauma that is caused by early marriages, believing that they're doing what's right for the family and the girl. However, selling a child to a man, who often may be two to three times her age, is not "in the girl's best interest."
According to UNICEF, more than a quarter of child brides are married to men more than 10 years their senior. It is estimated that around 14 million girls under the age of 18 get married annually around the world. In some countries, like Egypt, despite it being illegal, child marriage is quite common and is culturally accepted.
In Egypt, the legal age of marriage was raised to 18 in 2008 although the law has done little to stop the parents from marrying off younger daughters.
Forcing marriage upon a child causes multiple effects not only harmful to the child, but also to society. Child brides often do not receive any education, which in turn, raises the unemployment rate. They lose their childhood innocence and their emotional and their psychological development during adolescences is gravely affected.
Due to physiological vulnerabilities, girls 10 to 14 are five times more likely to die during childbirth or pregnancy. Their undeveloped bodies do not have the strength to bear a child and they are often left to die in agony. Much older "husbands" however, cannot comprehend that it is unnatural for such young girls to give birth and may even abuse and mistreat their "wives."
Physical and sexual violence are often committed in child marriages. In another report published by UNICEF, it says that 29 percent of child brides in Egypt have been beaten or sexually violated by their "husbands." Out of these child brides, 41 percent have been beaten during pregnancy.
According to Population Reference Bureau, religious and cultural bias are also factors that work to increase the number of child brides. As there are strong taboos surrounding girls' virginity in Egypt and many other countries, some families marry off their daughters to prevent them from having sex out of wedlock.
Families also misconstrue some religious laws that condone child brides. These families arrange for vague religious ceremonies, postponing official governmental registration until the girl turns 18. This practice further devastates child brides because they have no legal defense if the husband decides to run off and find another child bride.
Failure to act to address this issue will prove disastrous. Around the world, 25,000 young girls are forced to be child brides on a daily basis. As the cycle continues, these girls will join the 60 million others who have been forced into marriage before adulthood. UNICEF predicts that within the next 10 years, this number will increase to 100 million in the developing world.
Without political attention and global action, the practice of child brides will continue, endangering the psychological, emotional and physical well being of countless young girls.