Child marriages are among the gravest violations of children’s rights, especially when it comes to girls. These marriages almost always lead to school dropout, social isolation, and mental health issues.
By: R.I. (Interview.ba)
The news from July went unnoticed, though it was important – and had a happy ending.
Media briefly reported that in an international operation called “Global Chain” in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the life of a minor girl was saved after her parents tried to force her into marriage.
The operation aimed to uncover and combat all forms of human trafficking, including sexual and labor exploitation, begging, forced labor, and forced marriages.
In our country, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton was informed that the parents had forced a minor into marriage and that the official “engagement” ceremony was to be held the same day – without her consent. The girl confirmed this during questioning.
It is suspected that the parents aimed to profit from her marriage, citing “customary law.”
The girl was placed in a safe house.
They sold me
Stripped-down facts like these do not fully reveal the importance and depth of the issue. Because forced marriages of minors – and their “sale” – are, unfortunately, still part of everyday life here. These are mostly cases of coercion in impoverished communities, among families living on the brink of existence, and among marginalized and discriminated members of society.
This was confirmed to us by our interviewee, whom we’ll call Merima (39). Her father sold her at the age of 13.
She recalls the day she was forced into marriage with a man who could have been her father, with deep pain.
– My uncle took me to a café, said you girls (Merima and two of her sisters, author’s note) will be married, people will come. I cried, told my father – I don’t want to. He said – you must go… I got sick from it, developed thyroid issues. My nerves gave in, I walked around like I was crazy… – Merima recounts.
She knows money was the only reason she was forced into marriage:
– They got money, they sold me. I have no idea for how much… How much he gave my father, I have no idea.
She was in that marriage for five years, constantly physically abused. She gave birth to three children. They were taken from her.
Girls “have a price”
Mirsada Bajramović (from the association “Zemlja djece”), a child protection expert from Tuzla, has encountered many cases of child marriage over the years.
– The most extreme case was when a 12-year-old girl was sold for a ‘Golf 2’ car in that so-called child marriage. We also had a case where a girl was sold for 1,500 KM. The prices for girls in arranged marriages range from 600 KM to 15,000 KM – says Bajramović.
Indira Bajramović, president of the Roma Women’s Association “Bolja Budućnost”, also highlights drastic, almost unbelievable cases.
– I know of cases where a child was sold for three thousand, or where a mother gave her daughter away for a sheep, or a father for a liter of brandy. What’s happening is a catastrophe! Some cases aren’t even prosecuted because many judges and prosecutors, and even lawyers, say this is Roma customary law. Then what about non-Roma? – says Bajramović.
Ombudspersons: Urgent law amendments needed
According to a Special Report by the Human Rights Ombudsman of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from 2019 to 2021, the highest number of reports related to child marriages was recorded in Tuzla Canton – 37 cases.
The ombudspersons stress that forced child marriages are a major issue because they are often a cover for child trafficking and other forms of exploitation linked to human trafficking.
In last year’s Special Report, the ombudspersons noted: Authorities are not paying sufficient attention to the protection of children’s rights.
Aleksandra Marin Diklić from the BiH Ombudsman Institution pointed out that the legal framework in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially in the Federation, urgently requires amendments to improve the protection of minors.
She emphasizes the importance of aligning the Federation’s criminal legislation with international standards, such as the Lanzarote Convention, which has already been implemented in Republika Srpska (RS).
But even in RS, the laws are good only on paper.
Last year, media reported that 221 girls were aged between 15 and 19 at the time of marriage, according to data from the RS Institute of Statistics.
Though this points to the problem of underage marriages, it remains just a statistic.
Despite the serious consequences these marriages have for minors—especially girls—the law is clear: underage marriages can only occur under specific conditions set out in the Family Law, and the minor must be at least 16. But the large number of such marriages suggests irregularities in enforcement and a lack of protection for minors.
Reports from social work centers in Banja Luka and Bijeljina show cases where children entered marriage without official registration at a registry office—making the problem even worse.
The lack of awareness about the abuse of marital unions and insufficient evidence often result in dropped cases or reclassification of criminal charges.
The Human Rights Ombudspersons of BiH warn that forced child marriages are a serious issue, often linked to human trafficking and other forms of exploitation. They stress that poor children, especially from Roma communities, are particularly vulnerable.
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has recommended that BiH amend entity family laws to remove all exceptions that allow minors under 18 to marry.
What needs to be done?
Long-term consequences
As part of the project “Right to the Future”, funded by the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina and implemented by CARE International together with the Roma Women’s Association “Better Future” from Tuzla and the Foundation “Wings of Hope” from Sarajevo, with support from Action Deutschland Hilft, work is being done on multiple fronts.
First and foremost, cooperation from relatives, neighbors, and friends is needed to report any suspicion of coercion, exploitation, or trafficking to the relevant authorities.
– The protection of children and respect for human rights are absolute priorities. Early marriages have long-term consequences, and acting now helps prevent a problem that manifests transgenerationally. When youth enter early marriages, when minors are forced into marriage, it doesn’t just affect them—it affects the entire community – warns CARE International Balkans director Sumka Bučan.
She adds that Roma girls are the most vulnerable group in Bosnian society, facing double discrimination – as members of a national minority and as women. With particular emphasis on life in patriarchal communities.
-Child marriages are often a cover labeled “tradition”, but they actually hide child trafficking and other forms of exploitation associated with trafficking through marriage. Child marriages are not tradition. When it comes to the welfare and safety of children, tradition must not come before rights – concludes Bučan.
Through the project “Right to the Future,” hundreds of young and older Roma will actively participate in learning about their rights, working directly through workshops, campaigns, and dialogue to strengthen not only mental health and empower girls and boys but also influence the whole community. The goal is to wake up and realize that girls, young women, and boys should spend their childhood in school—not in marriage.
Case from Sarajevo
That’s why the goal is to advocate for change—change related to traditions that are not sacred, the current situation regarding the response of institutions, and the awakening of public awareness and conscience. So we don’t see a repeat of last year’s case in Sarajevo, where a mother sold her daughter to an older man.
The school informed the Center for Social Work and the Ministry of Education that the girl hadn’t been attending school for a long time. The mother told the Center representatives that the girl was with relatives, allegedly caring for a sick person. And the case was closed. Until the girl ran away and told the police the real truth.
Many questions remain after that case. But the most important of all is: When will children and their rights become a priority in our society?
Child marriages are among the gravest violations of children’s rights, especially for girls. These marriages almost always lead to school dropout, social isolation, and mental health problems.
The consequences are deeply destructive. Girls who enter into underage marriages face physical, emotional, and sexual violence, and early pregnancies can result in serious health complications—including premature birth or the death of the mother and newborn.
So what does a law mean without action? Nothing but a dead letter on paper.
