The impact of forced marriage on Girl Child Education: A case study West Pokot-Kenya.

Abstract

A descriptive study was carried out in West Pokot District Kenya between the month of April2010 and May 201 0~ It involved the analyses of the impact of forced marriage on girl child education, A total of 196 respondents participated in the study. The general objectives of the study was to focus on the impact of forced marriage on the girl child and the impact it has on her education. Specific objectives were, four, namely; factors that contribute to force marriage of a girl child, identify the impact of the forced marriage on a girl child education~ identify the role of the government and other stakeholders in trying to curb the problem and lastly assess the challenges they face in solving the situation. Both primary and secondary data collection methods were used. All the respondents were between the age of l5~60 and they included students~ teachers, local leaders and parents of the area 90% of the respondents were female while 10% were males all religions were represented~ 99% of the respondents were aware of forced marriage in that they were in a position to identify causes of forced marriage, problems faced by the forced marriage victims including diseases are prone to. This project has discussed the findings of the study and has identified other impact of forced marriage of girl child rather than education, The study has also come up with conclusion of the research that at least 1 in 4 girls in West Pokot have experienced forced marriage or the parents have attempted to forcefully marry then and I to 7 girls have seen coerced into forced marriage. The most perpetrators of forced marriage are parents5 uncles and aunts. Lastly the researcher recommended on ways through which the provincial commission on Human Rights can do to improve in their services of helping the girl child in the area,