Early Arranged Marriage in Ethiopia - Essay Example

Child marriages lead to abusive practices and a disregard for the rights of children. In many instances, as several studies would show, the practice of young marriage leads to socio-economic development stagnation of the child, and health problems. This state of the problem could only be resolved through legislation, more law enforcement, and active participation of the government and community. In Ethiopia, in particular, where the problem exists in great proportion than in other regions, government intervention should be sought to permanently provide a solution.

This study hopes to describe the behavior of Ethiopians on family matters and how they behave in resolving an issue or a problem. Describing human behavior is a Social Work Theory that is applicable to this problem. The study is important because when behaviors are clearly understood, the change required is directed to what is needed by the population. Ethiopia is located in the northeastern part of Africa. According to the UN Habitat (2008), it is the second most populated but least urbanized country in sub-Saharan Africa.

As of 2014, it has a population of over seventeen million. CIA Worldfact (2014) explains that their estimates of the population took note of the events of excess mortality due to HIV/AIDS that resulted to lower life expectancy, higher death rate, and low population growth rates. The life expectancy of the Ethiopian population is only 60.75 years which is considered short (ranks 193 in world comparison). The maternal mortality rate is 350 deaths to every 100,000 live births. While the infant mortality rate is 55.

77 deaths for every 1,000 live births. Ethiopia is highly dependent on rain-fed agriculture. Its biggest economic problems are urban poverty, high unemployment, lack of infrastructure, and housing shortage. The societal systems of gender disparities here make women open to poverty that eventually create a negative impact on the socio-economic development of the country (UN-Habitat Ethiopia, 2008, p. 6)