Child marriages still happen. CHR says a ban can help curb teen pregnancies, abuse
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights on Wednesday threw its support behind a Senate measure seeking to prohibit child marriage in the country.
Senate Bill 1373 seeks to declare child marriage, its facilitation and solemnization as public crimes, where those involved —including family members — may face six to 12 years in prison and a fine of P40,000 to P50,000.
Senators on Monday approved the measure on second reading.
"The said bill could also help in curbing the rising trend of early pregnancies among teenage Filipinas and could strengthen the call to raise the age of sexual consent from 12 to 16 years old," CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said.
About 40 to 50 children aged 10 to 14 years old give birth every week, Commission on Population and Development Executive Director Juan Antonio Perez III said in September.
According to POPCOM, the number of births by very young adults (VYAs) "has been increasing since 2011 (1,381) to 2018 (2,250)" — marking a 63% rise.
"[The] legislative move is a welcome development especially now that there is an increasing number of children falling into poverty due to pandemic. Girls in the poorest households are more vulnerable and at risk of early or forced marriage," De Guia said.
One in six girls in Philippines marry before 18
A policy brief by the United Nations Population Fund said one in six Filipino girls marry before they turn 18, citing an analysis by the Population Commission that found that this phenomenon was both a cause and a result of "the perpetuation of a cycle of gendered poverty."
"The current situation demands an immediate and stronger protection for children against possible abuse by imposing sanctions on individuals who participate in the practice of child marriage," she added.
Perez recently told senators that there are about 130,000 babies from women younger than 20-years old who were fathered by men who are 20 years of age or older.
He also noted that of the births given by VYAs from 2011-2018, only 64 were fathered by boys 15 years of age or younger. "[Perez] likewise does not discount the possibility that the young mothers might have suffered incidences of abuse, or were taken advantage of," a POPCOM press release reads.
"The CHR reiterates its previous stand on this issue that marriage before the age of 18 is a fundamental violation of the rights of a child that impacts every aspect of a child’s dignity and life. Child marriage undermines girls’ health including sexual and reproductive health rights and increases the risk of sexual and gender-based violence," De Guia said.
"Furthermore, early marriage interrupts girls’ education and compromises their political and economic participation," she added.
In 2017, the Philippine National Demographic and Health Survey showed that 26.4% of child brides were victims of physical, sexual or emotional violence.The UN Children's Fund or UNICEF has also reported that the Philippines is 12th globally on the most number of child marriage cases, with around 726,000 child brides in 2017.
The Philippines is a signatory country to the UN's Sustainable Development Goal to end child, early and forced marriages by 2030. — Bella Perez-Rubio with reports from Christian Deiparine
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