Mexico: 6.8 million women are married before turning 18

In Mexico , child marriage is a reality. Currently, there are 6.8 million women in the country who married before turning 18 years old .

During the Foro de Matrimonio Infantil: Dimensiones, Causas y Efectos ( Child Marriage Forum: Dimensions, Causes and Effects ), organized by several organizations such as Save The Children , Oxfam México , Redim , World Vision , UNICEF , and UN Women , it was mentioned that in 2015 there were 300,000 girls, boys, and teenagers between 12 and 17 years old who were married or living in concubinage.

Ligia Alvarenga

, Deputy Executive Director at Oxfam México , emphasized that child marriage in the country is a consequence of the gender inequality that prevails in Mexico.

"Inequalities are seen with great concern. The dimension of the problem is worrying and it is a phenomenon rooted in gender inequality," she assured.

She explained that there are 60 married women under 15 years old per every married man under 15 and that 50% lived in poverty , 73% left school , 49% suffer from physical violence and 68% suffer from sexual violence .

According to the information presented at the forum, the figures are going down however, child marriage prevails and it must be eradicated.

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