Survivor urges Norway to confront hidden child marriage and forced marriage crisis
Daniella Nordhagen shares her experience of a child marriage that began in Norway and continued in Iraq, calling for open discussion and action against hidden forced marriages in Norway.
In a personal column, Daniella Nordhagen describes being married in Norway before being transferred to Iraq, where she endured severe familial control. She uses her story to highlight the largely invisible problem of child and forced marriages in Norway, noting that legal prohibitions do not eliminate hidden cases. Recent changes to Iraqi law, which could allow girls as young as nine to be married, illustrate how quickly rights can erode.
Nordhagen stresses that child marriage is not a distant tradition but a power and control issue affecting girls worldwide. She calls for Norwegian schools, health care and child protection services to develop the expertise needed to spot early warning signs, and for Norway to keep championing girls' rights internationally. The piece concludes that every girl deserves a childhood free from marital contracts.
Why it matters
It exposes hidden child marriage in Norway and urges systemic changes to protect vulnerable girls.
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