Abstract
Child marriage is a social norm in Nigeria, particularly in the Northern region and poses a public health concern as the resultant health effects on victims, especially girls, are often life threatening. This paper reveals how child marriage poses health challenges to victims and how education and policy implementation can be used as tools to ending the menace. Child marriage is a marriage contracted below the age of 18 years and Nigeria has a law prohibiting child marriage, but its implementation is inconsistent, as some states are yet to domesticate/enforce it. More so, the existing traditional, customary and Islamic laws make it difficult for the Child Right Act (CRA) to be implemented especially in the Northern States where Sharia law is upheld. Poverty, illiteracy of parents/relatives and humanitarian crisis were identified as causes of child marriage; victims of child marriage suffered health problems such as risk of violence, adverse birth outcomes, depression, low self-esteem, psychological disorders including drug abuse and alcohol dependence. Education and policy implementation were identified as keys to ending child marriage in Nigeria. Education- through sending all children to school regardless of gender; policy implementation- implementing the CRA fully in all the states of the federation. Recommendations were made that, the Government health agencies should partner with the National Orientation Agency and media houses to educate the public and create more awareness on the health implications of child marriage in all the states of the federation to end the menace.
Keywords: Child marriage, Girl child, Child Right Act, Health implications, Nigeria