**TITLE: RETHINKING THE DEFINITION OF CHILDHOOD AND CHILD MARRIAGE**
Presently, what I struggle to comprehend is the definition of a child. The West typically classifies a child as someone under the age of 18, but various societies, including mine, different cultural tribes, and even religions, refute this notion. Using Western standards to prohibit child marriage appears unjust— it seems like stripping people of their cultural beliefs, akin to what the West has habitually done.
I pose the following question: Is it just to outlaw child marriage when our nation is grappling with a surge in teenage pregnancies? If our government upholds #weareequal, why do they not allow us to make decisions about our personal lives?
Note: For many individuals globally, adulthood dawns with the onset of puberty, usually around 15 years. I align with this belief.