Although the Philippines now has a law prohibiting and criminalizing child marriage or a marriage where at least one of the partners is below 18 years of age, there are still reports of adolescents being subjected to child, early and forced marriage (CEFM), especially in Mindanao.

One in 10 Filipino women aged 20 to 24 were married or were in a union before the age of 18, according to the 2022 National Demographic and Health Survey.

Meanwhile, there are around 88,600 child brides in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as of 2021, according to a Bangsamoro Women Commission study.

With the prevalence of this practice in Mindanao, a dedicated group of young volunteers from the Maguindanao Youth Community Development (MYCD) has been helping raise awareness about the issue and the negative effects of child marriage and other forms of violence against women and girls.

Myda Kamad Omar, president of MYCD, said she decided to start a youth organization after volunteering for a psychosocial support programme for young people in her community.

“I saw that there were many issues that needed to be addressed in our community. That motivated me to continue our advocacy. At the same time, we are facing armed conflict. The youth needs a lot of support and that became my inspiration,” 23-year-old Myda said.

Mindanao, one of the three main island groups in the southern Philippines, has faced ongoing armed conflict for decades. This instability, along with poverty and cultural practices, contributes to a high rate of child marriage. Families that are displaced or are struggling financially may marry off their daughters early to transfer the perceived “financial burden” to the future husband’s family. Additionally, some communities view child marriage as a tradition. However, CEFM ends up perpetuating the cycle of poverty for future generations of girls.

MYCD was among the 20 youth-led groups across the country that were given start-up funds under Project BRAVE (Building COVID-safe Responses And Voices for Equity) to implement innovative strategies that raise awareness about mental health and gender-based violence. They were under the supervision of UNFPA's implementing partner Coalition Against Trafficking in Women – Asia Pacific.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PROJECT BRAVE: Youth groups help address mental health, gender-based violence amid pandemic

Supported by the Australian Government, Project BRAVE was jointly implemented by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization (WHO) to mitigate the risks that the COVID-19 pandemic poses to the physical and mental well-being of vulnerable groups.

MYCD’s recent project, aptly named KATIYALINTAD, which means Katiyakap (protection) and Kalilintad (peace) in Maguindanaon, involved educating young women in the community about gender-based violence, the practice of child marriage in the Muslim region, and their rights to legal protection through a series of mentoring and learning sessions.

Tarissha Guiamadil, the 20-year-old officer of MYCD, said she was motivated by her own personal circumstances.

She shared that her younger sister was a survivor of child marriage.

“My [younger] sister when she was 13 or 14 years old [was subjected to an arranged marriage],” Tarissha shared, adding that she was not able to do anything at that time because she did not have a voice as a young person. 

“It’s so very hard for me. Imagine being a youth advocate and promoting peace and human rights, and then of course [the prevention of] early marriage when it happened within our own household,” she said.

She explained that their parents wanted them to marry early so that they could escape poverty. At the same time, her sister was forced to marry the 17-year-old boy she was dating because their elders frowned at the fact that the two were always seen together, something that was not acceptable in their culture.

Research shows that harmful gender norms underpin the stigma associated with adolescent sexuality and premarital pregnancy. Girls, who are held responsible for their chastity and their families’ reputation, are often restricted in their actions in order to “protect” them.

She said among the biggest challenges that MYCD is facing now is convincing parents and community leaders to end the practice of child marriage.

To address this, MYCD held awareness sessions with parents and youth people about human rights and gender-based violence, especially the new law banning child marriage in the Philippines.

“We tell them that their children will have a better future if they are allowed to finish their education,” Tarissha said, adding that they also discuss the mental and physical repercussions of child marriage.

Tarrisha said they were able to help many women and girls understand their rights and for men to realize that what they are doing is wrong.

She said when they visit the communities now, village officials are the first to approach them and ask them to talk to husbands who reportedly abuse their wives. They are also currently 

working to help lower the cases of child marriage, which they hear about twice or thrice a month in the communities they work in.

With the support of development partners such as the Australian Government and the United Nations agencies, Maguindanaoans like Myda and Tarrisha are able to use their deep understanding of the local context and their genuine connection with the community to advocate for the rights of their fellow youth and women, and deliver a truly gender equal society.

This Women’s Month, UNFPA Philippines is highlighting the great work of its partners in the hopes of  inspiring others to rise to the challenge and champion the well-being of women and their own communities.