Too Young to Wed

I’ve definitely seen plenty of things here in Morocco that I will never forget. But today, I saw something that I know will be burned in my memory and on my heart.

The women’s co-op in Bassatine put on a photography exhibition today entitled “Trop Jeunes pour le Mariage” – Too Young to Wed. The exhibition displayed a photography project sponsored by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and is a visual representation of the reality of child marriage and parenthood in the world, particularly Africa. 

The projects website states:

“UNFPA expands the possibilities for women and young people to lead healthy and productive lives. UNFPA is the lead agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. These three goals go straight to the heart of development and relate directly to the issue of child marriage.” Too Young to Wed

I could go on a very long time about the statistics and aims of the project, but I would encourage you all instead to check out the website. It is extremely well done and informative, and I promise it will make you feel something.

The exhibition itself had me in tears, literally. Especially in reflecting on my own situation as a well-supported, grown women about to marry a man I love very deeply, I was profoundly disturbed at the images and stories of innocent little girls becoming brides and mothers. I cannot imagine being engaged at the age of five, married at eight, pregnant at twelve to a man literally three or four times my age (or more). I wanted to rip the poster down and tear it apart, as though that action would somehow remove the suffering from the world. The photos are eerily beautiful, perfectly capturing feelings of betrayal, anger, and terror on the faces of tiny wives and mother. Girls who should be learning who they are and how to love themselves instead of how to please a husband and raise another little girl who she will watch suffer the same fate.

Loosely: "They decorated my hands with henna, but I did not know who would get married. My mother came and she told me "Come my daughter." Then, they celebrated my marriage." - Tehani, married at six years old.

Ghulam, 11 years old, and her husband Faiz, 40. 

For the rest of the day, I tried to go out and keep myself from obsessing over the images. My roommates and I went to the medina yet again to explore and enjoy one of our last few summer nights in Morocco. I even bought some henna powder, so those of you who want me to beautify your hands when I come home can get excited. I’ll be leaving in just two short days. I wish I had just a little more time, just a little something more that I could do before it’s time to go. But I guess every adventure has to end eventually.

Until tomorrow.