GIRL-CHILD MARRIAGE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES OF GIRLS IN ASSIN SOUTH DISTRICT IN THE CENTRAL REGION OF GHANA

Abstract

This paper investigated girl-child marriage and its consequences in Assin South District in the Central Region of Ghana. It examined the causes of early marriage of girls, consequences faced as a result of early marriage and ways of eliminating girl-child marriage. The design used for the study was cross sectional survey. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 171 girls for the study. Questionnaire was used to collect data, which were analyzed and summarized using descriptive statistics. A little below half of the respondents (45.6%) were between the age ranges of 10–13years, 56.7% had primary education. The study revealed that teenage pregnancy (78.4%), financial hardship (66.1%), protection of family name (62.6%) among others were the causes of girl-child marriage always. Again, the respondents strongly agreed that low education (74.9%), low self -confidence and sense of security (71.3%), social misfit (68.4%), school dropout and poverty (64.9%) etc were the consequences of girl-child marriage. In eliminating girl-child marriages, measures such as discouragement of sex before marriage (m=4.78, std=0.41), provision of needs by parents (m=4.64, 0.69), scholarships and sponsorships for girlchild education (m=4.67, std=0.62) among others were very effective. Girl-child marriage has
been a major factor preventing young girls in the study area from being able to pursue their academic and future aspirations. The Ghana Education Service and other stakeholders should adopt counseling strategies that will appeal to the conscience of the girl-child in barring this early marriage.