Millions of young girls are forced into marriage every year. Child Marriage is a worldwide phenomenon that must be stopped. When girls are married at a young age, their futures are erased, and education is no longer a part of the picture. Being wed as a child can result in rape and child pregnancies, as well as domestic abuse, both physical and verbal. Photojournalist Stephanie Sinclair has teamed up with National Geographic to create a multimedia project including a short film and a photo series to raise awareness of this terrible practice. Over a span of eight years, Sinclair traveled and researched child marriage in Yemen, India, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Nepal, and Ethiopia. Although these images are very powerful, their effect is questionable. An interview with Rhoda Kanaaneh, a professor of women’s studies at Columbia University shows a different point of view.
W.K: How do you feel these images portray this horrible issue, and do they have a negative or positive effect on their audience?
Rhoda Kanaaneh: “I am concerned that many of the images simply confirm to Western audiences the victimization of girls and women in these ‘other’ places and reinforce already existing stereotypes of them. I much prefer the pictures of defiant girls who have succeeded in resisting pressure to marry young– I think these are more inspiring for Western viewers to help girls help themselves.”
W.K: What other controversial issues do you see in these images?
Rhoda Kanaaneh: “Is the marriage of two children to each other the same as a 12 year old girl marrying a 40 year old man? Are the 16 year old brides leaving their homes in ceremony crying because they don’t want to be married? Or is it part of the ritual of leaving one’s home at marriage that adult women experience as well? I think the latter.”
While there may be some controversial issues in which these pictures are put out of context, or are only confirming stereotypes that western viewers hold, these images are a powerful call to action to help save these young girls and set them back on their original path to fulfill their full potential as strong young women.
– Malaika
