child marriage

one in three girls in developing
countries (excluding China) will probably be married before they are 18.

One out of nine girls will
be married before their 15th birthday

Most of these girls are poor, less-educated, and living in
rural areas

Over 67 million women 20-24 year old in 2010 had been married as girls.

Half were
in Asia, one-fifth in Africa

In the next decade 14.2 million girls under 18 will be married every
year

This will rise to an average of 15.1 million
girls a year, starting in 2021 until 2030, if present trends continue

child marriages are
declining among girls under age 15

50 million girls could still be at risk of being married before
their 15th birthday in this decade

complications from pregnancy and childbirth together are the main cause of death among adolescent girls 15-19 in developing countries

investing in girls

developing their social and economic assets

ensuring access to

education

health services

postpone marriage until girs are ready

policy makers

enactment of laws that rise the age of marriage to 18 for both girls and boys

Using data to identify and target geographic “hotspots” – areas with high proportions and numbers of girls at risk of child marriage

Expanding prevention programmes that empower girls at risk of child marriage and address the root causes underlying the practice

Mitigating the harmful impact of child marriage on girls.

Glossary

Text

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

Convention on the Elimination of all
Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)

International Conference on Population and Development in 1994 (ICPD

All countries agree that It is an adult decision
and a decision that should be made, when ready, as an adult

humanitarian crises

poverty

some parents genuinely believe that marriage will secure their daughters’ future

some parents see
their daughters as a burden or even a commodity

dowry

tradition

human rights violation

undue pressure

fear

coersion

complications related to pregnancy and child birth

main cause of death in developing countries

exposure to sexually transmitted infections, including HIV

for a girl

end education

set aside chances for a career

can limit her foundational life choices

adolescent pregnancy

they can be subjected to

rape

abuse

beatings

killings