Health Mediators Model for the Prevention of Child Marriages

1 in every 5 children in the world is married. In Türkiye, 1 in 4 women are married off before the age of 18  (TÜİK, 2021). Child marriages shorten girls’ lifetimes and leave girls alone with lifelong severe health problems from chronic diseases to disabilities. Child marriages also trigger several mental health problems such as trauma and depression. In addition, child marriages cut girls off from education and employment and prevent girls from living their dreams and potential. United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, with the support of the Sabancı Foundation, in coordination with relevant public authorities and institutions, works to prevent child marriages together with families, non-governmental organizations, community leaders and tradespeople.

The 'Prevention of Child Marriages' Project, carried out by UNFPA Türkiye and Sabancı Foundation, has implemented a unique model called 'Health Mediators' in the provinces of Nevşehir, Van, Bitlis and Muş in 3 phases since 2018. Women selected from the project provinces and participating in training, including those who got married and/or had children at a young age, become the "Health Mediators" of the project. Health mediators visit households and shopkeepers and work to raise awareness about the health risks and consequences of child marriage.

Health Mediators Go Door to Door

In the project provinces, health mediators reach the most remote villages and visit households door to door; Informing families, girls and young people; They explain the risks and both health and social consequences of child marriages, and also carry out intervention studies by identifying children at risk.

Shoulder to shoulder with tradespeople against child marriages

Health mediators also work shoulder to shoulder with tradespeople to prevent child marriages in the project provinces. Health mediators who visit tradesmen as well as households prioritize tradespeople who can play a key role in preventing child marriages, such as bridal shops, printing houses, patisseries and hairdressers, then explain how tradesmen can take responsibility in the struggle against child marriages and what steps they can take when such a situation occurs.

Capacity Building Efforts

Sağlık Aracıları Modeli ile, çocuk yaşta evliliklerin sağlık riskleri ve sonuçları konusunda farkındalık yaratarak, daha güçlü bir mücadele için yerel düzeyde kapsamlı müdahale mekanizmaları (önleme ve müdahale) kurulmasına ve güçlendirilmesine, ayrıca tüm çocukların ve gençlerin potansiyellerini tam olarak gerçekleştirmelerine katkı sağladık.

Proje, çocuk yaşta evliliklerin önlenmesi için Nevşehir, Van, Bitlis ve Muş’ta yaklaşık 23 bin kişiye ulaştı. Proje kapsamında bugüne kadar yaklaşık 50 kadına sağlık aracısı olarak eğitim verildi. Bu sağlık aracıları, çocuk yaşta evliliklerin risklerini ve zararlı sonuçlarını anlatmak için Nevşehir, Van, Bitlis ve Muş'ta 4300'den fazla haneye ve 170’ten yerel işletmeye/esnafa ulaştı. Yerelde etkili bir önleme ve müdahale mekanizmasını desteklemek için kamu kurumlarıyla kapasite geliştirme çalışmaları yapıldı.

What have we achieved with Health Mediators?

With the Health Mediators Model, by raising awareness about the health risks and consequences of child marriages, we contributed to the establishment and strengthening of comprehensive intervention mechanisms (prevention and intervention) at the local level for a stronger effort, as well as to enable all children and young people to realize their full potential.

The health mediators reached approximately 23 thousand people in Nevşehir, Van, Bitlis and Muş to prevent child marriages. Within the scope of the project, approximately 50 women have been trained as health mediators so far. These health mediators reached more than 4,300 households and 170 local businesses/tradesmen in Nevşehir, Van, Bitlis and Muş to explain the risks and harmful consequences of child marriage. Capacity building studies were carried out with public institutions to support an effective prevention and intervention mechanism at the local level.