I chose to investigate South Asia because there is a
lot going on there that I want and need to know more about. After reviewing the UNICEF website, let me tell you, I learned
quite a bit. There are eight countries included in this region: Afghanistan, Bangladesh,
Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
The first thing I learned about that I had not known
as much about before are the child marriages that take place. Child marriages
can occur to girls as young as 14 years old. I read about one girl living in
India who was married off to help her family financially. She had her first
child at age 17 and has been mistreated ever since she was married. Upset about
losing her childhood, she has started a campaign with UNICEF to help teenage
girls get more rights and to keep from having to get married so early. Teenagers
need this time to discover who they are as a person, create friendships, and
live simple lives under peaceful conditions. Teenagers are ill-equipped to deal
with the burdens of motherhood, marriage, and helping their family financially.
Forcing them into adult situations and for reasons too heavy for them to identify
with robs them of their adolescence that is so useful to growing into a successful
and happy adult. Also, these girls have been robbed of the chance to speak up
for themselves and do what is right for them. It is great that this one girl
has the opportunity to team up with UNICEF to help change this cycle and to
advocate for and improve the lives of other girls.
Another thing that I am more aware of is how children
are used in war efforts in Nepal. Over 3,000 minors, girls and boys, were just
returned home to civilian life after fighting for over 4 years during the 10
year civil war between the Maoist rebels and the Nepal government that has just
come to a close. Thanks to UNICEF many, of these veterans with receive trainings
in any trade they wish including, wood working, welding, and carpentry. UNICEF
is also providing formal and informal education to the discharged soldiers. It
is so sad to see thousands of teenagers forced to witness death, violence, and
other various countless scenes and acts of war. No doubt they are suffering
from PTSD and other disorders of trauma that they will likely have to deal with
for the rest of their lives. This war has lasted a long time and the effects of
it are going to last much longer. These teenagers have wasted their adolescent
and were not even able to make the choice. Because of UNICEF and thousand of
their volunteers, these teenagers can have opportunities for successful lives
that they otherwise would not have and with no thanks to their government.
After doing this assignment, I am definitely more conscious
of the abuses and lack of rights for children in this region of the world. I
now want to do more to help and be a part of the solution. I am even more
grateful for my rights and the men and women who help me keep these rights. I
have a whole new and enlightening perspective on other regions of the world;
one that will help me be a better child advocate and educator.
I enjoyed reading your post! I had no idea that so many civilians' are used in war in South Asia. More than that I didn't know that they used minor to complete fill the places of a soldier.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing about this region. It is hard to see that such things go on, but then again alot of these places feel they are common place in time and circumstance or cultural beliefs. I sometimes feel that the U.S steps in where not places that are not needed, am I being too much of an anarchist? I feel that from our perspective child marriage is wrong, but to them it is all in the culture. It is hard for me to settle the cultural battles! What do you think?
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