Child Marriage in Tanzania

Child marriage in Tanzania is a critical human rights issue in Tanzania and around the globe. This article focuses on the legal structure of Tanzania to show that Tanzania's Law of Marriage Act, Sections 13 and 17, enacted in 1971, violates its constitution and obligations in international human rights treaties and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; mainly, they violate individuals' rights to equality, education, and their family's welfare. The reader will find that the legal and social structures within Tanzania are in conflict with global norms. In addition, the social structure that the government relies on to legitimize these sections of the Marriage Act continues to allow child marriage. This article resolves that child rights, precisely girls' rights, are inhibited through the enactment and continued application of the Law of Marriage Act, Sections 13 and 17. The article will conclude with some salient recommendations that assist Tanzania's government in resolving the issue.