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I normally try and stay on the lighter side of life, as befits my Life of Brian lifestyle, but this one is a touch heavy. If you mods feel its over the top then please feel free to edit/remove as necessary, I would understand. And if you non-mods dont wish to read me venting my spleen, then please stop now.
As some of you will know, I travel about the world a fair bit with my job, and see a lot of different things.
I try, wherever possible to involve myself as much as possible in local life wherever I am, as I feel that I will learn much more of local cultures and beliefs by doing so. Whilst I may comment on other cultures, I almost never criticise, for they are exactly that, other cultures, not my own.
Since arriving in Pakistan, I have noticed on an almost daily basis, reports in the newspapers of under age girls being sold/traded for marriage. To me this seems abhorrent, but I do understand it is a tradition here, and a way of life.
Yesterday evening, on the way back from the office, I had just crossed a river, and was smiling at a group of youngsters leaping into the river and laughing and joking, happy with life, under the eyes of their mums, who were washing clothes.
Not 2 minutes later, we slowed down to observe a wedding procession leaving a building, and I saw the groom, bedecked in his finery, looking very smart if a touch young, but I couldnt see the bride anywhere.
It was only when I asked one of the locals, that he pointed out that the girl that I had mistaken for a bridesmaid, was in fact the bride. She was 8 years old!!!!!!!!!!
I looked at her, and her little face was petrified, she didnt have a clue what was going on, poor little kid. I was then told that she had been traded by her father to settle a family dispute.
I understand that different countries have differing values, and I have seen a lot of things that I havent agreed with, but not one that has made me as angry as this.
I have 2 daughters, and I remember them both being 8 years of age, and I know for a fact that they couldnt possibly have got married, or even understood the concept of a boyfriend at such a young age.
Surely wrong??
As some of you will know, I travel about the world a fair bit with my job, and see a lot of different things.
I try, wherever possible to involve myself as much as possible in local life wherever I am, as I feel that I will learn much more of local cultures and beliefs by doing so. Whilst I may comment on other cultures, I almost never criticise, for they are exactly that, other cultures, not my own.
Since arriving in Pakistan, I have noticed on an almost daily basis, reports in the newspapers of under age girls being sold/traded for marriage. To me this seems abhorrent, but I do understand it is a tradition here, and a way of life.
Yesterday evening, on the way back from the office, I had just crossed a river, and was smiling at a group of youngsters leaping into the river and laughing and joking, happy with life, under the eyes of their mums, who were washing clothes.
Not 2 minutes later, we slowed down to observe a wedding procession leaving a building, and I saw the groom, bedecked in his finery, looking very smart if a touch young, but I couldnt see the bride anywhere.
It was only when I asked one of the locals, that he pointed out that the girl that I had mistaken for a bridesmaid, was in fact the bride. She was 8 years old!!!!!!!!!!
I looked at her, and her little face was petrified, she didnt have a clue what was going on, poor little kid. I was then told that she had been traded by her father to settle a family dispute.
I understand that different countries have differing values, and I have seen a lot of things that I havent agreed with, but not one that has made me as angry as this.
I have 2 daughters, and I remember them both being 8 years of age, and I know for a fact that they couldnt possibly have got married, or even understood the concept of a boyfriend at such a young age.
Surely wrong??
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