They are more likely to become pregnant as adolescents, which puts them at increased risk of maternal health complications. “The law effectively marks a great stride towards the attainment of gender equality,” she said. These groups work with communities to end child marriage. Billé tells of the long journey that civil society organisations have had to take to address child marriage. Cameroon: Habiba’s Challenge against Child Marriage 21 Sep 2020 - In Cameroon, one out of every three girls is married before the age of 18. She hopes to one day work for an organization like World Vision, and she is excited to attend the World Vision Child Friendly Learning and Recreation Center so she can learn and play jump rope. Another important theme that emerged across all case studies in this report is the strong link between dropping out of school and child marriage. Sexual and gender-based violence affects one in three women and girls globally. Let’s keep progress going by asking the Senate to follow suit! Formerly a taboo topic, “now [child marriage] is even talked about on the television”, she recounts. © UNFPA Cameroon, Faouzia is learning tailoring, a skill that will help her be independent. We want a child-friendly environment for every child. The Keeping Girls in School Act passed in the House of Representatives on January 28, 2020. This can be the starting point of creating better and safer world for all children.”. In the introduction to World Vision’s new report on child marriage, Dola (age 15), a World Vision Young Leader from Bangladesh, shared: “Nowadays, child marriage is a very big problem and deprives girls from their education, health, and safety. Girls are breaking barriers imposed by stereotypes and exclusion, “My husband used to beat me daily,” she said. Billé tells of the long journey that civil society organisations have had to take to address child marriage. Child brides are more likely to be forced to leave school, depriving them of their right to an education. “It is after 10 or 12 years that we will start to see results.”, Girls Not Brides is a global partnership of more than 1400 civil society organisations committed to ending child marriage and enabling girls to fulfil their potential. MAROUA/YAOUNDE, Cameroon – “I was forced into marriage by my father at the age of 14,” Faouzia Yaya, now 17, told UNFPA. On International Day of the Girl Child (October 11), we reflect on the incredible progress the world has made towards equality for women and girls. In fact, each year of additional secondary education reduces the likelihood of girls becoming child brides and becoming pregnant before the age of 18 by five to six percentage points. We do not want to see a baby in a child’s womb. “After two months of marriage, the group which fights violence against women caught sight of my case and registered me,” said Faouzia. But the country has just adopted a new law – passed in July – to protect girls like Faouzia. Girls can play a significant role as agents of transformation in their lives. Adam and Billé work directly in areas where rates of child marriage are high, yet both share the conviction that communities can be persuaded to abandon the practice. (©2017 World Vision/photo by Laura Reinhardt), Your email address will not be published. That’s 23 girls every minute. Putting the brakes on COVID-19: Safeguarding the health and rights of women and girls, If you want to change the world, start at home: New tool offers roadmap for changing social norms, Eswatini SMS service helps women access family planning, food amid pandemic, A former child bride in Afghanistan finds hope and new life during COVID-19, Survivors of sexual violence need healing and justice even amid pandemic, leaders assert, Viet Nam releases landmark follow-up study on violence against women. Today, Faouzia is learning tailoring. Child, early and forced marriage is widespread in Cameroon and particularly prevalent in the north of the country. Update: Good news! The child marriage report also includes policy recommendations for the U.S. Government to take a more holistic and united approach, to fund more assistance and policy, and to support foreign policy aiming to end child marriage around the world. © UNFPA Cameroon, Mathieu Emo is a member of a "husband's club". To support girls in creating the future they want, ask your member to co-sponsor the Keeping Girls in School Act. The new law will “protect women from repugnant cultural norms and practices that have hitherto exposed them to every kind of ill treatment,” said Marie Therese Abena Ondoa, Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family. them and for future generations. All donations are tax deductible in full or in part. Formerly a taboo topic, “now [child marriage] is even talked about on the television”, she recounts. Submissions through email or post will not be accepted. Viet Nam has released the world’s first culturally validated follow-up research on violence against women.

UNFPA is also working with local organizations to raise awareness of the harms of child marriage, and to empower girls to say no to the practice. If her father tried to marry her off today, he would be charged for two offences – forced marriage and child marriage. She also thinks it is important to mobilise the education community, victims of child marriage and their parents to take a stand against the practice, but concedes that child marriage will take a long time to bring to an end: “A change in mentality is not something that happens straightaway,” says Bille. In 1997 Cameroon ratified the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, including Article 21 regarding the prohibition of child marriage. global movements, women and girls are creating a world that is relevant for I even ran away to my uncle’s place, but he still found me.”. Top photo: Eleven-year-old Purnima in Bangladesh. As a form of violence against women and girls, the practice is extremely harmful to the socio-economic status, sexual and reproductive health, and psychological wellbeing of young girls and women. World Vision’s campaign, “It Takes a World to End Violence Against Children,” is a global initiative to prevent violence wherever it occurs.

In November 2016 Cameroon launched the African Union Campaign to end child marriage in Africa. If her father tried to marry her off today, he would be charged for two offences – forced marriage and child marriage.

Child brides and girls at risk of child marriage are some of the most vulnerable because they have been stripped of their agency and decision-making power as well as their childhood. They helped her leave her husband. Using the links below, submit your original blog entry detailing your ideas about what it will take to end Early Child Marriage in your country, written in English, French or Portuguese by November 30, 2019. Child brides who have children are psychologically unprepared and ill-equipped to become mothers at such a young age. The Keeping Girls in School Act recognizes the importance of secondary education for girls and highlights the need to address the barriers that the 130 million out-of-school girls face in completing their secondary schooling. To effectively end child marriage, girls must have agency and the chance to transform their own lives as well as their communities. During her brief marriage, Faouzia endured constant violence. “When the victim is under the age of 18, the punishment may not be less than two years imprisonment, regardless of the mitigating circumstances,” the code says. COVID-19: latest news and resources on child marriage and COVID-19, Ending child marriage in challenging times – a message from our CEO, 10 ways the world got closer to ending child marriage in the last 10 years, COVID-19 and child, early and forced marriage: An agenda for action, Child Marriage: a Form of Violence Against Children, Surfer not bride: how Naomi waved goodbye to early marriage, More than a white dress: In the midst of the Syrian crisis, girls rise to end child marriage.

ALVF, a UNFPA partner, teaches girls like Faouzia income-generating skills, which helps them secure their independence. In Dola’s words: “To create a better and safer world for children, we — the government, donors and the public — must take more actions to prevent child marriage. Progress is slow, the results show.