UNICEF USA’s Post

#ChildMarriage is a violation of girls’ basic rights, and it profoundly and negatively affects the trajectory of their lives – curtailing their childhoods, limiting their educational and economic opportunities, and subjecting them to early and high-risk pregnancies, social isolation, and increasing their vulnerability to violence and other poor health outcomes. The consequences of child marriage do not stop at the individual level. Child marriage perpetuates poverty and gender inequality into the next generation, affecting families, communities, and nations. Girls like 19-year-old Bertha from Malawi are lured into marriages by older men with promises of a better life but often find the opposite is true. Empowering girls like Bertha to break free from the cycle of child marriage is essential in ensuring their fundamental rights are upheld. Plan International Plan MEESA (Middle East, Eastern and Southern Africa) we are committed to safeguarding girls' futures by providing support and opportunities for #education. Bertha's story serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative impact education and #empowerment can have on young lives. Let's join hands to end forced child marriage and build a future where every girl has the chance to thrive.   #endforcedchildmarriage #girlsright #UntilWeAreAllEqual #EndChildMarriage 

One girl in one of the rural communities here was ashamed to tell my colleagues that she wanted to be a doctor. She felt something must be wrong with her since that kind of dream was reserved for the boys alone... Another girl asked me during an outreach, "what's the use of entering secondary school if I'm lucky enough to find a very rich man who's willing to marry me", she was barely 12... A 2022 report by UNICEF on child marriage inferred that 2 in every 5 women in Nigeria were married in childhood. Unbelievable right? I mean this is 2022 not the 90's. As surprising as this may seem, my experience in the social sector working with the girl child for the past 3 years has shown me that the issue of child marriage is still more prevalent than many of us know. It's no longer a case of parents and guardians forcefully sending off their daughters; most girls have been subconsciously conditioned to believe that marriage is an escape route from poverty and a one-way ticket to their freedom. This is as a result of the cultural beliefs and mindsets these girls were born into. This issue of child marriage has actually gone deeper than many of us can imagine. This is why in Sister's Ally Foundation for Community Development (SAF) one of our major theory of change is to raise girls who will defy the status quo in their rural communities and set a standard for younger girls to aspire for. We all have a role to play, simply support and encourage girls around especially those who are passionate about education and their personal development. Give them a helping hand because beyond helping them, you're indirectly helping to set a new standard for girls yet unborn. #sdggoals #sdg5 #sistersallyfoundation #ngo #girlchildadvocate #linkedinwithkemi

#16DaysofActivism - 🚫 Say NO to Early Child Marriages! 💔 These harmful practices rob young girls of their innocence, education 📚, and dreams. Let's break the chains that bind them and empower a brighter future. 🌟 Did you know? 🟠 Globally, 640 million girls and women alive today were married before age 18. At current rates of progress, it will take 300 years to end child marriage. In Zimbabwe 🇿🇼: 🟠 34% of girls are married before the age of 18 and 5% are married before their 15th birthday, in comparison to 2% of boys being married before their 18th birthday. In Zambia 🇿🇲: 🟠 29% of girls are married before their 18th birthday and 5% are married before the age of 15, in comparison to 3% of boys who are married before the age of 18. Together, we can end this injustice and ensure every girl has the opportunity to thrive. 🧡 Source - https://lnkd.in/gBHEFUzd #EndChildMarriage #GirlsDeserveBetter #16DaysofActivism #stopchildabuse #ProtectOurChildren #endsexualviolence #Endviolenceagainstwomenandgirls #securehopeempowered #impact #education #consistency #NoToGBV #family #GirlChildRights #advocacy Catalyst Care Group Mayda Mapondera Ashleigh Fox Tamsen Garrie-Frith

Wonderful WWF Women! Can you believe how quickly this week is flying by? We’re feeling the rush too. Earlier this week, there was alarming news from a state in Nigeria about plans to marry off over 100 children who had tragically lost their parents to banditry in the Mariga Local Government Area of Niger. So, today, we are shining a light on the grave issue of forced child marriage and the immense harm it inflicts upon young girls. Make sure you stay with us through this conversation. FORCED MARRIAGE Forced child marriage is a blatant violation of children’s rights, depriving them of education, health, and protection from harm. It robs them of their autonomy and condemns them to a future marked by suffering. Forced marriage occurs when one or both parties involved cannot or do not consent to the union. It represents a severe form of violence against women and young girls, compromising their physical, mental, and reproductive health. It poses a grave threat to their lives and futures. According to the United Nations, “every year, at least 12 million girls are married before they reach the age of 18. This is 28 girls every minute.” Shockingly, global prevalence studies suggest that it will take 300 years to eradicate child marriage. We’ve reached a critical juncture where raising fierce awareness and advocating for change are essential to protect the rights and futures of countless young girls. In our upcoming posts, we'll discuss the impacts of child marriage and explore actionable steps to combat this injustice. Stay connected for more. #EndChildMarriage #ChildRights #GenderEquality #EmpowerGirls #HumanRights #WomenEmpowerment #GirlsEducation #ChildProtection

Today, I had the privilege of joining a field visit as part of World Vision Bangladesh’s initiative to create Child Marriage Free Villages. Our journey took us to a small yet vibrant village in Jahanpur Union, home to about 700 households. 🌏 Our goal? To witness firsthand the transformative impact of our initiative. In this community, with over 800 adolescents, a remarkable change is unfolding. Families and village heads have pledged not to marry off their children before they turn 18. This commitment is a beacon of hope in Bangladesh, where child marriage has been a persistent challenge for over 45 years. 🤝 Through consistent awareness and confidence-building efforts, we've seen the community pledge to uphold this child marriage free status. The dedication of our community facilitators, who worked tirelessly with each family, was nothing short of inspiring. 🚨 A vigilance team, diverse in its members, plays a crucial role in monitoring and preventing child marriages. In the past year alone, their swift action stopped two potential child marriages, maintaining the village's commitment to protect its youth. 🌐 Across Bangladesh, our efforts have led to over 150 villages declaring themselves as child marriage free zones. This signifies the commitment of nearly 105,000 families to this cause – a monumental achievement in safeguarding the future of our children. 💡 The collaboration with local government bodies, youth forums, child forums, and village development committees(VDCs) has been pivotal in this journey. Their active engagement ensures the continued protection of children's rights within these communities. 🤗 World Vision is steadfast in advocating for this cause. We believe in a future where every child is free to live, learn, grow, and fulfill their potential without the shadow of early marriage. 📢 Interested in learning more or joining our cause? Please reach out. Your support can help us create more child marriage free communities and ensure a brighter future for our children. #ChildMarriageFree #WorldVisionBangladesh #Empowerment #CommunityDevelopment #Impact

In 2015, more than 190 countries committed to end child marriage by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In 2017, a Human Rights Council Resolution recognized that child, early, and forced marriage is a human-rights violation. Despite these promises, the latest estimates show that one in five girls marry under the age of 18 (UNICEF 2021). Recent studies and anecdotal evidence by humanitarians indicate that this rate is likely even higher for girls who are caught up in conflict and humanitarian crises (Girls Not Brides 2020; UNICEF 2016). https://lnkd.in/gk8ZUSmv

My favourite event at #WD2023 has to be the one Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage co-hosted on preventing child, early and forced marriage and unions in the face of a polycrisis! We were honoured to be joined, among many others, by Mary Robinson and Graça Machel - two of Girls Not Brides' most esteemed champions, as well as Canada's Minister for International Development and the AU Youth Special Envoy! What a line up! Two key messages stayed with me, because of the authority with which they were delivered: First, Mary Robinson's reaction to UNICEF's latest data on child marriage, which highlight that at the current pace of progress, 9 million girls will still be married in the year 2030: Unacceptable. In 2015, through the SDGs, states made a commitment to #EndChildMarriage by 2023. We must regroup and fight even harder. 20 times harder, according to UNICEF data. Second, Graça Machel's passionate intervention, reminding everyone that norms and traditions are man-made, so they can be changed. And this change has to happen in our lifetime! We cannot afford, as a society, to pass on the challenge of ending child marriage to the next generations! A most welcome boost to strengthen and accelerate our work!

Interestingly, UNICEF's lack of interest in collaborating with us came as a surprise, especially considering the thoroughness of our document 😅😂🥲. Despite initial commitments to meetings and postponing discussions due to a family tragedy – which in hindsight seems like a convenient cover – they chose to avoid engaging with us. This all unfolded just four days ago, and today marks the conference in #southafrica, Pretoria. The question lingers: why this avoidance of survivors of forced marriage? My interactions with UNICEF personnel have begun to solidify the disheartening notion that the effort to end forced marriage is being sidestepped. When the term "forced marriage" is mentioned, it appears to elicit annoyance, as they are fixated on labeling it "child marriage." Throughout the entire year of 2023, we've been attempting to set up meetings that, save for one, have failed to materialize. During this time, how many children were pushed into forced marriages? It's now becoming clear why I, too, became a victim of forced marriage. The success of my family in coercing me into a marriage I didn't want, didn't approve of, is rooted in a larger issue – the problematic nature of #unicef. Let me explain further. UNICEF is misusing the term "child" in a way that conveniently serves their control over the situation. They seem to perpetuate the abuse of children through their gatekeepers while simultaneously parading from conference to conference, updating their social media. Behind office doors, survivors are met with disregard. This seems to be the prevailing pattern in the leadership echelons – where only one voice matters and obedience is paramount. It's a system driven by ego and power. This leads me to wonder: What's really happening here? Why the reluctance to combat forced marriage? #drthandekamazibuko #unicef #endchildmarriage

Malawi has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world, and many Malawian women experience sexual and physical violence during their lifetimes. As we near the end of the #16DaysofActivism, Palladium: Make It Possible’s news site, The Catalyst, highlighted the work PROPEL Health is doing to combat #genderbasedviolence and #childmarriage in Malawi through policy and radio programming with local partners. USAID | UN Women | Developing Radio Partners

Reporting Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is crucial for ensuring that survivors receive the support they need and for holding perpetrators accountable. Talk to us! 0807 479 0000 Lightful Namati Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage UNICEF #IsaWaliEmpowerment, #16DaysWithIWEI, #GenderJustice, #Empowerment #16daysofactivism