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CHILD BRIDES - a rights violation 54 leaders can't ignore

CHILD BRIDES - a rights violation 54 leaders can't ignore

Coaxed and coerced, every year early and forced marriage directly affects 10 million girls under the age of 18. This is the equivalent of a girl becoming a child bride every three seconds. For the girl, early and forced marriage is a brutal transition from childhood to adulthood that all too often harms her education and health.

"Child Marriage Free" in Bangladesh

"Child Marriage Free" in Bangladesh

Our Campaigns Officer Naomi Williams, saw these words on a school wall poster just outside Bangladesh’s sprawling capital of Dhaka. 14 year old Fatima is proudly showing me this poster, explaining how she has worked hard towards achieving this powerful declaration.

TAKE THE VOW SO GIRLS CAN SAY NO TO EARLY/FORCED MARRIAGE

TAKE THE VOW SO GIRLS CAN SAY NO TO EARLY/FORCED MARRIAGE

Plan UK is campaigning to end child marriage and the practice of girls being forced to marry young. The charity works with young people, communities and religious leaders on this issue across the developing world. The action is already being supported by Mumsnet's Justine Roberts, Eliza Doolittle, Jameela Jamil and Dr Miriam Stoppard to name a few.

FORCED MARRIAGE SURVIVOR LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN ON CHILD BRIDES

FORCED MARRIAGE SURVIVOR LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN ON CHILD BRIDES

A COURAGEOUS activist is launching a new campaign to end the forced marriage of girls in the world’s poorest countries.

Social media

Aged just 15, Beti became the head of her household when she and her seven siblings were orphaned during conflict in Mozambique. After being forced to flee her home Beti's closest secondary school is 16km away from the resettlement centre where her family live. https://t.co/StCBV3IYbC

Aged just 15, Beti became the head of her household when she and her seven siblings were orphaned during conflict in Mozambique. After being forced to flee her home Beti's closest secondary school is 16km away from the resettlement centre where her family live. https://t.co/StCBV3IYbC

@planuk

Women and girls "are often the most vulnerable of all the global poor and support for them is often overlooked," said @SarahChampionMP "The needs of women and girls should be embedded in all our investments and not just be an ‘add on'." https://t.co/4DUcIUg9jn

@planuk

Nearly 193 million people in 53 countries faced acute food insecurity in 2021, a jump of 40 million compared with 2020. The @UN predicts that this year will see even higher numbers of people without enough to eat on a daily basis. https://t.co/1x2Nqq1Ajf

@planuk
Food insecurity can have devastating consequences for children's' education. When families face hunger children are often forced to miss or drop out of school. We're working in Ramla's community to distribute food and help keep children in school. https://t.co/SceWQ4PRJs https://t.co/z7xCLu0d8n

Food insecurity can have devastating consequences for children's' education. When families face hunger children are often forced to miss or drop out of school. We're working in Ramla's community to distribute food and help keep children in school. https://t.co/SceWQ4PRJs https://t.co/z7xCLu0d8n

@planuk

It's time to smash the stereotypes that are holding girls back from STEM 💪 https://t.co/5NT3XScS8t

@planuk

Just two in 10 people in Britain are aware that the Horn of Africa is facing the worst drought in 40 years. More than 13 million people are in urgent need of food and water. Donate to our work supporting children facing crisis: https://t.co/SceWQ4PRJs https://t.co/BRlMw92s34

@planuk

RT @ASTRAZENECAUK: Our #YoungHealthProgramme, in partnership with @PlanUK, was created to address health inequalities that young people in…

@planuk
“Teach children ways to cope if you're struggling, and people to go to." Molly, 13, thinks more needs to be done to support children’s mental wellbeing. @ASTRAZENECAUK #MHAW22 #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek https://t.co/SYySfglxE4

“Teach children ways to cope if you're struggling, and people to go to." Molly, 13, thinks more needs to be done to support children’s mental wellbeing. @ASTRAZENECAUK #MHAW22 #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek https://t.co/SYySfglxE4

@planuk

Deaths and complications due to abortions are higher in places where women do not have access to safe and legal services, while the number of abortions is no lower. We believe that legal and safe abortion services should be available to everyone. https://t.co/glkNnwVsjj

@planuk
13-year-old Faisa and her family were forced to leave their home in Somalia after all their livestock died and they were unable to find any water or food. They now living in an internal displacement camp. Faisa fears she may be forced to marry an older man. https://t.co/kr61ItCbc5

13-year-old Faisa and her family were forced to leave their home in Somalia after all their livestock died and they were unable to find any water or food. They now living in an internal displacement camp. Faisa fears she may be forced to marry an older man. https://t.co/kr61ItCbc5

@planuk

Thank you @stellacreasy for speaking out about your experiences of #PublicSexualHarassment. We found that more than half of girls have experienced sexual harassment in schools. This is not okay and shouldn’t be something we live with. https://t.co/LjZaCRq4iI

@planuk
“I became a youth advocate because I wanted to make a change in our community. And I thought the Young Health Programme UK was the best way to do so.” Find out why Mae, 19, joined our Young Health Programme UK with @ASTRAZENECAUK 👇 #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek https://t.co/V6uaQHVNxv

“I became a youth advocate because I wanted to make a change in our community. And I thought the Young Health Programme UK was the best way to do so.” Find out why Mae, 19, joined our Young Health Programme UK with @ASTRAZENECAUK 👇 #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek https://t.co/V6uaQHVNxv

@planuk

Press contacts

Sandra Brobbey

Press contact Media Officer 020 3217 0234

Because I am a Girl is a global campaign in support of girls’ education. The campaign aims to ensure millions more girls in the world’s poorest countries can access a quality education.

Plan works for children and their communities to help realise children’s rights. We work across a range of sectors, including education, health, child protection, child participation, economic security and water and sanitation.

Plan UK focus on the promotion of the rights of adolescent girls and responding to and preparing for disasters worldwide.

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