21.O casamento prematuro em Moçambique: práticas, crenças e implicações na escolarização da rapariga no contexto rural

Ndoa za mapema nchini Msumbiji: mazoea, imani na athari kwa shule za wasichana katika mazingira ya vijijini

Abstract

The present study discusses child marriage in Mozambique, practices, beliefs and implications for girls' schooling in the rural context, focusing on primary schools in rural areas. It is a theme that constitutes the epicenter of current concerns in the area of ​​girls' education and society in general, given the involvement of various actors in order to ensure and promote the rights of girls in communities, such as, for example, permanence in school and its completion in regular time. Child marriage is one of the reasons that contribute to the early school dropout of girls in primary education, and this fact has chain consequences, such as child maternity, female illiteracy and loss of opportunities in the job market due to lack of professional skills. . The actions of social and state actors to reverse child marriage are more focused on legislative regulations (force of law) that criminalize any acts that configure the union between an adult and a girl. In the specific case of the education sector, the Strategy for Preventing and Combating Premature Unions was created, but even so this phenomenon continues to occur, with cases of violation of girls' rights tolerated by educational institutions, that is, despite the existence of a vast legislation and norms that protect the school-age girl and regulate this practice of premature unions taking into account the age to consummate the marriage, in its implementation fails because they conflict with the norms and traditional beliefs of rural communities regarding marriage without observing the age group. The main argument of the study is that child marriage, its practices and beliefs in rural areas negatively influence girls' schooling. The aim of the research is to understand the implications of child marriage in the schooling of girls in the rural context and, more specifically, to discuss the legality issues related to the prevention and combat of child marriage in the Mozambican context; present the main causes of child marriage involving school-age girls; identify the associated endogenous factors, practices and beliefs of child marriage in rural communities; to verify the exogenous factors associated with child marriage practices in rural communities in complete primary schools and; to describe the implications of child marriage on girls' schooling in the rural context. To meet these objectives, the study was based on a qualitative methodological approach, using semi-structured interviews and document analysis as data collection techniques and instruments. Based on the analysis and discussion of the results, it is concluded that the implications of early marriage in the schooling of girls in the rural context are the early school dropout of the girl associated with early pregnancy, child maternity, diseases that make it impossible for the girl to continue studies at subsequent levels and consequently not to be employed in the labor market.