A 71-year-old woman has married a 17-year-old toyboy just three weeks after meeting him at her son’s funeral.When grieving pensioner Almeda Errell went to pay her last respects at her son’s funeral, the last thing she expected to find was love. A 17-year-old may be navigating identity formation, education, and dependency on guardians, while an adult—especially a much older adult—has decades of experience. This gap creates fundamentally unequal expectations and emotional capacities.
Societies increasingly view child marriage and adult–minor relationships as human rights issues. Global efforts by organizations like UNICEF and UNFPA seek to eradicate child marriage. In some regions, child marriage persists due to tradition, poverty, or gender norms. However, international pressure and local advocacy push for reform, emphasizing education and empowerment for minors—especially girls.
