Esme McGuire

BBC

 

As the delegates wait for the guest speaker to come talk to them about child marriage in Africa, “Octagon” is portrayed on the screen, while the rest of the delegates discuss the passing of the current resolution.

The chair then passed a motion for a karaoke competition, but before it could go into motion the guest speaker arrived.

Kuda Chitsike is the guest speaker, who gives a speech to the delegates about child marriage. She speaks of the wrongs of child marriage, and what countries have done to put a stop to it. The delegates are then shown a short video clip about child labor, and how child marriage fits into that category. A discussion is opened up, and the Chair gives an opinion. The Chair says that there isn’t anything very binding about the marriages of children, like how the children don’t sign the official marriage form, and that the place where she probably is married is a very remote place.

The delegates all agree that the law is not enough to make a real difference, and that some girls might not know that they are taking part in something illegal. Another argument is that poverty should be tackled in, so that children won’t be married off so their families can gain some money. If poverty is tackled, child marriage might be resolved.

The delegate of Egypt asks if children that do work at home, like chores, are victims of child labor. This question was immediately met with denial by the delegates of Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom and  Indonesia. The opposing delegates and Chitsike stated that the married girls that worked at their spouse’s home were forced to work and live in that house, where as children that live with their families under their own free will are just abiding to house rules, and is therefore not child labor.